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Former Bills, Patriots CB Stephon Gilmore announces retirement from NFL

Brian Jones Profile Picby: Brian Jones04/02/26brianjones_93

Former Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore announced his retirement from the NFL. Gilmore went to Instagram to share the news, saying he’s looking forward to seeing what “this next chapter holds.”

“As a young, scrappy kid from Rock Hill, South Carolina with humble beginnings, the eldest of 6 – you gave me focus, opportunity, strength, and friends to last a lifetime,” Gilmore wrote in the Instagram post. “From my first game with Finley Road Falcons to two Super Bowls, multiple Pro Bowls, and a Defensive Player of the Year Award, you taught me the invaluable lesson of working hard and believing in myself.”

Gilmore continued, “To my wife and kids, thank you for making it possible for me to chase my dreams. To my parents, thank you for raising me to be the man I am today. To my coaches, thank you for pouring into me. And to the fans—thank you for your support. I have had an incredible 13 years in the League, and I cannot wait to see what this next chapter holds.”

Looking at Stephon Gilmore’s NFL career

The Buffalo Bills selected Stephon Gilmore in the first round (No. 10 overall) in the 2012 NFL Draft. He spent five seasons with the Bills and then signed with the Patriots in March 2017. Gilmore was with the Patriots for five seasons and helped the team win the Super Bowl during the 2018 season.

During the 2021 season, the Patriots traded Gilmore to the Carolina Panthers, and he was with the team for the rest of the year. He then played for the Indianapolis Colts (2022), Dallas Cowboys (2023), and Minnesota Vikings (2024). Gilmore did not play in the NFL during the 2025 season.

In Gilmore’s career, he was selected to the Pro Bowl five times, named to the All-Pro First Team twice, and won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in 2019. During that season, the former South Carolina star tallied 53 tackles, an NFL-leading 20 passes defended, an NFL-leading six interceptions, and a league-leading two interceptions returned for touchdowns.

Gilmore was also a standout cornerback at South Carolina. In his three seasons with the Gamecocks, Gilmore was named a Freshman All-American in 2009 and was selected to the All-SEC First Team in 2010.