Five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore has officially called it quits, announcing his retirement Thursday after a distinguished 13-year NFL career.
The 35-year-old defensive back, who earned NFL Defensive Player of the Year recognition during his career, sat out the entire 2025 season before making his retirement official.
“I have had an incredible 13 years in the League, and I cannot wait to see what this next chapter holds,” Gilmore wrote in his announcement on Instagram.
Throughout his professional career spanning 180 games with 173 starts, Gilmore recorded impressive statistics including 32 career interceptions, eight forced fumbles, and 617 total tackles while suiting up for six different franchises.
The cornerback’s career began with the Buffalo Bills from 2012 through 2016, followed by his most successful stint with the New England Patriots from 2017 to 2020. His final four seasons saw him play for a different team each year.
Gilmore reached his peak performance during the 2019 campaign with New England, when he topped the league with six interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns, while also deflecting 20 passes for the second consecutive year.
During New England’s championship run in the 2018 playoffs, Gilmore contributed two crucial interceptions that helped propel the Patriots to their Super Bowl victory. He earned first-team All-Pro recognition in both 2018 and 2019.
His career concluded with stops at the Carolina Panthers in 2021, Indianapolis Colts in 2022, Dallas Cowboys in 2023, and Minnesota Vikings in 2024.
The Rock Hill, South Carolina native played his college ball at the University of South Carolina from 2009 through 2011, where he intercepted eight passes for the Gamecocks before becoming the 10th overall selection in the 2012 NFL Draft by Buffalo.
