Stephon Gilmore is heading back to Foxboro for one last Patriots moment.
The former New England cornerback and Super Bowl champion will return on Friday and officially retire as a Patriot, according to the announcement made Thursday. Mike Reiss reported the news early in the afternoon, writing:
Just announced: CB @BumpNrunGilm0re is returning to Foxboro on Friday to officially retire as a Patriot.
Gilmore spent 13 seasons in the NFL, but his Patriots run lasted only four years. Still, those four seasons left a huge mark. He made the Pro Bowl three times in New England and won Defensive Player of the Year in 2019.
That 2019 season was the peak of his brilliance. Gilmore led the NFL in interceptions and passes defended, added 53 total tackles, and allowed a 44.1 passer rating in coverage, according to Pro Football Reference.
His career took him from the Buffalo Bills to the Patriots, then on to the Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, and Minnesota Vikings. He finished by playing for five different teams in five seasons, but his place in Patriots history is already secure.
Across his career, Gilmore played in 180 regular season games and piled up 32 interceptions, 149 passes defended, five Pro Bowls, two first-team All-Pro selections, a Super Bowl title, and that 2019 DPOY award. Per Pro Football Reference, the average Hall of Fame defensive back has one Super Bowl, three All-Pros, seven Pro Bowls, and 50 interceptions. Gilmore’s 149 passes defended rank 12th all-time.
His Hall of Fame case is far from simple, but there’s no debate about what he was in New England: one of the best cornerbacks the league has seen in years. It also took until the 2024 season for another defensive back, Patrick Surtain II, to win Defensive Player of the Year.
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