# Stephon Gilmore

**Stephon Gilmore** (Stephon Stiles Gilmore, born 1990 in [Rock Hill, South Carolina](https://www.edgepedia.org/rock-hill-south-carolina)) is a former [American football](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-football) cornerback who played 13 NFL seasons from 2012 to 2024 and won the Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year award in 2019 with the [New England Patriots](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-england-patriots), the first Patriot ever to receive the honor.<sup>[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GilmSt00.htm)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://www.patriots.com/news/stephon-gilmore-named-associated-press-2019-nfl-defensive-player-of-the-year)</sup> He announced his retirement on April 2, 2026, after spending the 2025 season out of the league.<sup>[3](https://www.nfl.com/_amp/five-time-pro-bowl-cb-stephon-gilmore-announces-retirement-from-nfl)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1990, Rock Hill, South Carolina; high school South Pointe (SC)<sup>[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GilmSt00.htm)</sup> |
| Draft | First round, 10th overall, 2012 NFL Draft, by the Buffalo Bills<sup>[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GilmSt00.htm)</sup> |
| Teams | Bills (2012–16), Patriots (2017–21), Panthers (2021), Colts (2022), Cowboys (2023), Vikings (2024)<sup>[4](https://www.vikings.com/news/stephon-gilmore-cornerback-5-things-to-know)</sup> |
| Career totals | 180 games, 32 interceptions, 496 interception return yards, 2 interception-return touchdowns<sup>[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GilmSt00.htm)</sup> |
| Honors | 5x Pro Bowl, 2x first-team All-Pro, Super Bowl LIII champion, 2019 AP/PFWA/SN Defensive Player of the Year<sup>[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GilmSt00.htm)</sup> |
| 2019 season | Tied for the NFL lead with 6 interceptions (2 returned for touchdowns) and 20 passes defensed; career-high 53 tackles<sup>[2](https://www.patriots.com/news/stephon-gilmore-named-associated-press-2019-nfl-defensive-player-of-the-year)</sup> |
| DPOY rarity | Sixth cornerback to win AP Defensive Player of the Year since the award began in 1971, and the first defensive back to win since Troy Polamalu in 2010<sup>[2](https://www.patriots.com/news/stephon-gilmore-named-associated-press-2019-nfl-defensive-player-of-the-year)</sup> |
| Retirement | Announced April 2, 2026, at age 35, after 13 seasons<sup>[3](https://www.nfl.com/_amp/five-time-pro-bowl-cb-stephon-gilmore-announces-retirement-from-nfl)</sup> |

## College career at South Carolina

Gilmore played at the [University of South Carolina](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-south-carolina), where he started every game at cornerback for three consecutive seasons and also returned punts and kickoffs. As a junior in 2011 he tied for the team lead with three interceptions, giving him seven career picks, and led the team with seven pass breakups.<sup>[5](https://www.huskermax.com/games/2011/files/13southcarolina_pregame_notes_theirs.pdf)</sup> In 2010 he was named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press, first-team All-SEC by the league's coaches, and led the team with 79 tackles, including 6.0 for loss, while being responsible for four opponent turnovers.<sup>[6](https://sidelinescouting.com/draft-guide/2012.pdf)</sup> His 4.40-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine was third best among defensive backs in his class.<sup>[6](https://sidelinescouting.com/draft-guide/2012.pdf)</sup>

The [Buffalo Bills](https://www.edgepedia.org/buffalo-bills) selected him 10th overall in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft.<sup>[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GilmSt00.htm)</sup>

## Buffalo years

Gilmore started 16 games as a rookie in 2012, recording his first career interception and 16 passes defensed.<sup>[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GilmSt00.htm)</sup> NFL.com's "Making the Leap" series profiled him as a physical cornerback with strong coverage skills who regularly trailed the opposing team's top receiver, such as [Reggie Wayne](https://www.edgepedia.org/reggie-wayne).<sup>[7](https://www.nfl.com/news/making-the-leap-no-12-bills-cb-stephon-gilmore-0ap1000000219212)</sup> He spent five seasons with Buffalo before leaving as an unrestricted free agent.

## New England peak

The Patriots signed Gilmore on March 10, 2017.<sup>[8](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/v1596583660/league/t593ytg5tznazrtqanlu.pdf)</sup> In his first season he started 13 games, and his game-ending pass defense in the 2017 AFC Championship against Jacksonville helped send New England to the [Super Bowl](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-bowl).<sup>[9](https://www.patriots.com/news/three-patriots-named-2019-all-pros)</sup> In Super Bowl LIII, with the Rams driving late, [Jared Goff](https://www.edgepedia.org/jared-goff)'s pass down the right side was intercepted by Gilmore at the 4-yard-line with 4:17 to play, and New England won 13–3 in the lowest-scoring Super Bowl to that point.<sup>[10](https://operations.nfl.com/media/3823/2019-nfl-record-and-fact-book.pdf)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[11](https://time.com/5519584/patriots-rams-super-bowl-wrap-up/)</sup>

**The 2018 and 2019 seasons.** In 2018 Gilmore posted a 90.8 coverage grade and finished as [Pro Football Focus](https://www.edgepedia.org/pro-football-focus)'s highest-graded cornerback overall at 90.9.<sup>[12](https://www.pff.com/news/pro-stephon-gilmore-jc-jackson-enter-the-2019-season-as-one-the-nfls-top-cornerback-duos)</sup> His 2019 season was better still: he tied for the league lead with six interceptions, returning two for touchdowns, tied for the lead with 20 passes defensed, made a career-high 53 tackles, and anchored a defense that finished first in the NFL in both total defense (275.9 yards allowed per game) and scoring defense (14.1 points allowed per game).<sup>[2](https://www.patriots.com/news/stephon-gilmore-named-associated-press-2019-nfl-defensive-player-of-the-year)</sup> He was unanimously voted first-team All-Pro for the second consecutive season, named to his third [Pro Bowl](https://www.edgepedia.org/pro-bowl), and won the AP Defensive Player of the Year award at NFL Honors in Miami, becoming the first Patriot to win it and the first defensive back since [Troy Polamalu](https://www.edgepedia.org/troy-polamalu) in 2010.<sup>[2](https://www.patriots.com/news/stephon-gilmore-named-associated-press-2019-nfl-defensive-player-of-the-year)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[13](https://www.nfl.com/news/stephon-gilmore-named-2019-defensive-player-of-year-0ap3000001100158)</sup> He received 16 of the 50 AP writers' first-place votes, a 42 percent share of the award's points.<sup>[14](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/awards_2019.htm)</sup>

**How the numbers measured his coverage.** PFF credited Gilmore with a 47.4 passer rating allowed in coverage in 2019, the fourth-lowest in the NFL among cornerbacks with at least 50 targets, even though opponents tried to avoid throwing at him. Cynthia Frelund, NFL Network's analytics expert, built a win-contribution model that accounted for whom Gilmore covered, the play call, and the situation; it ranked him No. 1 among cornerbacks, noting that quarterbacks facing him held the ball longer and were given harder assignments.<sup>[15](https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-all-analytics-team-lamar-jackson-stephon-gilmore-stand-out)</sup>

## Later career: Panthers, Colts, Cowboys, Vikings

A torn quadriceps and a contract dispute with New England in 2021 ended his Patriots tenure; he was traded to the [Carolina Panthers](https://www.edgepedia.org/carolina-panthers) during the 2021 season, then signed with the [Indianapolis Colts](https://www.edgepedia.org/indianapolis-colts) for 2022.<sup>[16](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/stephon-gilmore-teams-timeline-bills-cowboys-2019-nfl-dpoy/2465ff56ca82ee07f97aeff6)</sup> At the end of that year, the Colts traded the 32-year-old to the [Dallas Cowboys](https://www.edgepedia.org/dallas-cowboys) for a 2023 fifth-round pick.<sup>[16](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/stephon-gilmore-teams-timeline-bills-cowboys-2019-nfl-dpoy/2465ff56ca82ee07f97aeff6)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[17](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/cowboys/gxp2phrtzfuiewda5wz3.pdf)</sup>

In Dallas he started all 17 games for a 12-5 team in 2023, and in his first game as a Cowboy he recorded his 30th career interception, the fifth-most among active players at the time.<sup>[17](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/cowboys/gxp2phrtzfuiewda5wz3.pdf)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[18](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/past-present-cb-stephon-gilmore-officially-retires)</sup> A shoulder injury late in the season limited his effectiveness in the playoff loss to Green Bay.<sup>[18](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/past-present-cb-stephon-gilmore-officially-retires)</sup> Even at 33, PFF graded his 2023 press coverage at 76.3, among the better marks in the league.<sup>[19](https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-ranking-best-nfl-cornerbacks-press-coverage-2023-season)</sup>

His production that season reflected his age: a 63.9 overall PFF defensive grade, 64th among 117 qualified cornerbacks, with a 60.4 coverage grade ranking 77th.<sup>[20](https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/stephon-gilmore/7016)</sup> He spent 2025 as a free agent and announced his retirement on April 2, 2026.<sup>[3](https://www.nfl.com/_amp/five-time-pro-bowl-cb-stephon-gilmore-announces-retirement-from-nfl)</sup> The Patriots honored him as one of the greatest cornerbacks in franchise history, and he announced his retirement as a New England Patriot.<sup>[21](https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-honor-stephon-gilmore-s-legacy-as-one-of-the-greatest-cornerbacks-in-franchise-history)</sup>

## Playing style and place in the position's history

Gilmore's defining trait was man coverage on the opponent's top receiver. In New England's man-heavy scheme he frequently shadowed the opposing No. 1 receiver, and analysts credited his ability to disguise coverage, showing one look before the snap and playing another after it.<sup>[23](https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-best-cornerback-2020-nfl-season-new-england-patriots-san-francisco-49ers)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[22](https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-how-stephon-gilmore-fits-with-dallas-cowboys-trade-indianpolis-colts)</sup>

His Defensive Player of the Year win remains a rarity for the position. Only a handful of cornerbacks have won the AP award since it began in 1971, and [Patrick Surtain II](https://www.edgepedia.org/patrick-surtain-ii)'s win for the 2024 season made Surtain the seventh cornerback to receive it, with Gilmore the previous cornerback winner in 2019.<sup>[2](https://www.patriots.com/news/stephon-gilmore-named-associated-press-2019-nfl-defensive-player-of-the-year)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[24](https://apnews.com/article/254a86a7c002df767c20cafdcc3d7015)</sup> Since entering the league in 2012, Gilmore led the NFL in passes defensed through the 2020 season.<sup>[25](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/patriots/nw141ocxfdtdikl1d6bv.pdf)</sup>

## References

1. [Stephon Gilmore Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College, Pro-Football-Reference.com](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GilmSt00.htm)
2. [Stephon Gilmore named Associated Press 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Patriots.com](https://www.patriots.com/news/stephon-gilmore-named-associated-press-2019-nfl-defensive-player-of-the-year)
3. [Five-time Pro Bowl CB Stephon Gilmore announces retirement from NFL, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/_amp/five-time-pro-bowl-cb-stephon-gilmore-announces-retirement-from-nfl)
4. [5 Things to Know About Cornerback Stephon Gilmore, Vikings.com](https://www.vikings.com/news/stephon-gilmore-cornerback-5-things-to-know)
5. [Gamecock Football, Meet the Gamecocks (2011 pregame notes)](https://www.huskermax.com/games/2011/files/13southcarolina_pregame_notes_theirs.pdf)
6. [Stephon Gilmore Scouting Report, SideLScouting 2012 Draft Guide](https://sidelinescouting.com/draft-guide/2012.pdf)
7. [Making the Leap, No. 12: Bills CB Stephon Gilmore, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/making-the-leap-no-12-bills-cb-stephon-gilmore-0ap1000000219212)
8. [Stephon Gilmore, NFL media guide profile (2020)](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/v1596583660/league/t593ytg5tznazrtqanlu.pdf)
9. [Three Patriots named 2019 All-Pros, Patriots.com](https://www.patriots.com/news/three-patriots-named-2019-all-pros)
10. [Super Bowl LIII Summary, NFL Record and Fact Book](https://operations.nfl.com/media/3823/2019-nfl-record-and-fact-book.pdf)
11. [New England Patriots Defeat the Los Angeles Rams in Lowest-Scoring Super Bowl Ever, Time](https://time.com/5519584/patriots-rams-super-bowl-wrap-up/)
12. [Stephon Gilmore, JC Jackson enter the 2019 season as one the NFL's top cornerback duos, PFF](https://www.pff.com/news/pro-stephon-gilmore-jc-jackson-enter-the-2019-season-as-one-the-nfls-top-cornerback-duos)
13. [Stephon Gilmore named 2019 Defensive Player of Year, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/stephon-gilmore-named-2019-defensive-player-of-year-0ap3000001100158)
14. [2019 Awards Voting, Pro-Football-Reference.com](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/awards_2019.htm)
15. [NFL All-Analytics Team: Lamar Jackson, Stephon Gilmore stand out, NFL.com (Cynthia Frelund)](https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-all-analytics-team-lamar-jackson-stephon-gilmore-stand-out)
16. [Stephon Gilmore teams timeline, Sporting News](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/stephon-gilmore-teams-timeline-bills-cowboys-2019-nfl-dpoy/2465ff56ca82ee07f97aeff6)
17. [Secondary Notes, Dallas Cowboys media guide](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/cowboys/gxp2phrtzfuiewda5wz3.pdf)
18. [Past/Present: CB Stephon Gilmore officially retires, DallasCowboys.com](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/past-present-cb-stephon-gilmore-officially-retires)
19. [Ranking the highest-graded NFL cornerbacks in press coverage from the 2023 season, PFF](https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-ranking-best-nfl-cornerbacks-press-coverage-2023-season)
20. [Stephon Gilmore, Minnesota Vikings CB, PFF player page](https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/stephon-gilmore/7016)
21. [Patriots Honor Stephon Gilmore's Legacy as One of the Greatest Cornerbacks in Franchise History, Patriots.com](https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-honor-stephon-gilmore-s-legacy-as-one-of-the-greatest-cornerbacks-in-franchise-history)
22. [How Stephon Gilmore fits with Dallas Cowboys after being traded from Indianapolis Colts, PFF](https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-how-stephon-gilmore-fits-with-dallas-cowboys-trade-indianpolis-colts)
23. [The NFL's best cornerback trios ahead of the 2020 NFL season, PFF](https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-best-cornerback-2020-nfl-season-new-england-patriots-san-francisco-49ers)
24. [The Latest: Josh Allen wins AP MVP at NFL Honors, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/254a86a7c002df767c20cafdcc3d7015)
25. [Patriots Defensive Notes (2020)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/patriots/nw141ocxfdtdikl1d6bv.pdf)

---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › American football players, coaches, and executives › Cornerbacks › Retired and historic cornerbacks*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*

*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*

License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license