The New England Patriots were missing a key defensive player at practice Thursday.
Veteran linebacker Dont'a Hightower did not practice because of an illness. Hightower did not play in last year's Super Bowl due to injury, but he made key plays in the Patriots' Super Bowl XLIX and Super Bowl LI victories.
"We'll evaluate him tomorrow," Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said of Hightower in Thursday's pool report.
Patriots defensive tackle Malcom Brown was a limited participant in practice Wednesday, but he was a full participant Thursday.
Here are the Thursday injury reports for both teams ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl LIII showdown at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
PATRIOTS
DID NOT PARTICIPATE
LB Dont'a Hightower - Illness
LIMITED PARTICIPATION
None
New England Patriots
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FULL PARTICIPATION
DT Malcom Brown - Calf
RAMS
DID NOT PARTICIPATE
None
LIMITED PARTICIPATION
S Blake Countess - Foot
K Greg Zuerlein - Left Foot
FULL PARTICIPATION
None
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