FOXBORO - His best years were spent in New England , so it's only fitting that Stephon Gilmore returned to retire as a member of the Patriots.
The cornerback, who announced his retirement from the NFL after 13 seasons back in April, signed a one-day contract with the team Friday afternoon. Gilmore, 35, played for the Patriots from 2017 to 2020 (and was traded away halfway through 2021) and put together a tenure that rivals any other Patriots player at his position.
"I got so much better as a player," Gilmore told reporters about why he wanted to sign this contract. "I had great coaches. I was around a lot of great veteran players that really helped me elevate my game, and I had my best years here."
Signing a lucrative five-year, $65 million contract ($31 million guaranteed) to arrive in free agency in 2017, Gilmore started off slow. After returning from concussion protocol midway through that season, he flipped the switch and became the best cornerback in football for several years.
In the 2017 AFC title game, he broke up a Blake Bortles pass on fourth down to seal the conference championship. One year later, he picked off Jared Goff to help the Patriots win their sixth Super Bowl. A year after that, he was named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year - the first player in franchise history to win the award.
Gilmore was a three-time Pro Bowler with the Patriots, a two-time First Team All-Pro and was named to the team's All-Dynasty Team back in 2019. It's a career that warranted a ceremony honoring him .
The ball pops out of bounds after a long gain by Titans tight end Jonnu Smith (81) defended by Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore (24) in the first quarter at Nissan Stadium Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn.An52326 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
"When Stephon arrived in New England in 2017, he brought elite talent, competitiveness and professionalism to our defense," executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said. "There was nobody better. He embraced the challenge of matching up against the opponent's top receiver each and every week, and consistently performed at the highest level.
"Beyond all the individual honors, Stephon was a tremendous teammate who played an important role in one of the most successful periods in franchise history. His place in Patriots history is secure, and we are proud that he has chosen to close his remarkable playing career where he won a championship and established himself as the best cornerback in football."
The mild-mannered Gilmore , who let his play do the talking, played 56 regular season games for the Patriots after his career began playing for the Buffalo Bills . He recorded 11 interceptions, including a pair of pick-sixes and 52 pass breakups. In the postseason, he suited up for seven more games. Gilmore was traded to the Carolina Panthers in 2021 for a draft pick eventually used for Kayshon Boutte .
After his New England stint, Gilmore played for the Panthers, Minnesota Vikings , Dallas Cowboys and Indianapolis Colts . And yet, no place compared to New England .
"I think just seeing guys like (Tom) Brady , (Devin) McCourty, Patrick Chung , you know, the list goes on. (Julian) Edelman," Gilmore said. "Seeing how those guys work, each and every day, and it started in really practice.
"My practice habits for better and seeing how those guys worked in practice, you know, Bill (Belichick) was always on me."
Feb 3, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore (24) celebrates with teammates after intercepting a pass intended for Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Brandin Cooks (12) in the fourth quarter in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Gilmore's legacy in New England is unmatched . He's in the upper echelon of Patriots cornerbacks, sitting alongside Mike Haynes, Ty Law and Darrelle Revis as the best of the best.
The South Carolina native, who played college football for the Gamecocks and was a first round draft pick back in 2012 by the Bills, is one of seven players during the Bill Belichick era to be named a First Team All-Pro, Pro Bowler, and win a Super Bowl in the same season (joining Law, Revis, Richard Seymour, Adam Vinatieri , Rob Gronkowski and Matthew Slater ).
Gilmore could ... and should ... be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame once he becomes eligible in 2030. He's easily the best Patriots cornerback not yet to be enshrined, and would join Haynes, Law and Raymond Clayborn as the only players to play the position to earn a red jacket.
The cornerback, who'll be in attendance for the Patriots' Week 2 game against the Steelers , chose his performance against the Cowboys in 2019 as his best game. As for Gilmore's defining play, he couldn't choose just one.
"I think the AFC Championship play was a harder play to make, and if I don't make that play, we don't get to the Super Bowl," he said. "But I think for me, you know, winning a Super Bowl was a great feeling and I was able to seal it during that game. So it's hard to pick between those two plays."
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as 'Tremendous' Stephon Gilmore Signs 1-Day Contract to Retire with Patriots .
