Longtime NFL veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore has signed a new contract with the Minnesota Vikings. Gilmore, the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year, spent the 2023 season with the Dallas Cowboys but has also played for the Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers, and Indianapolis Colts.
The #Vikings are making a major free agent acquisition at a time when they rarely happen: Former Pro Bowl CB Stephon Gilmore is signing in Minnesota on a 1-year, $10M deal, source says.
The ex-#Cowboys and #Patriots CB is back with DC Brian Flores. pic.twitter.com/YgA8pXqtEl
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 18, 2024
Stephon Gilmore, Minnesota Vikings, Agree to Contract
Stephon Gilmore spent the final year of his contract with the Cowboys after the Colts traded him during the offseason. That proved to be a beneficial move for Dallas, as the 33-year-old cornerback proved he still had plenty in the tank. Starting in all 17 games, Gilmore finished the season with two interceptions while playing a crucial role in one of the best defenses in the league.
Gilmore originally entered the NFL as a first-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Selected by the Buffalo Bills, the South Carolina product made an impact right out of the gate, earning a starting job from Week 1. After five years in the league, he made his first Pro Bowl in 2016 before departing in free agency.
The New England Patriots gave Stephon Gilmore a record-setting contract in 2017, and that proved to be a wise investment. After an up-and-down first season, Gilmore established himself as one of the best in the league over the next two seasons. In 2018, he earned First-Team All-Pro Honors while helping to bring home New England’s sixth Lombardi Trophy. He was even better in 2019, recording a league-high six interceptions while earning First-Team All-Pro and Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Gilmore earned yet another Pro Bowl nod in 2020 before getting traded to the Carolina Panthers in 2021. Despite the change of scenery, Gilmore still played well and earned the fifth Pro Bowl selection of his career.
Since signing his rookie contract, Stephon Gilmore has recorded 31 interceptions while making five Pro Bowls, two First-Team All-Pro teams, and winning one Super Bowl.
Main Photo: Tim Heitman – USA Today Sports
