Former Cowboy, 2x All-Pro who made $115M calls it quits on NFL career
One of the great defenders of his generation, Gilmore can be credited with changing Dallas' approach to veterans.
Stephon Gilmore is calling it a career. The former first-round pick of the Buffalo Bills took a few years to begin to live up to his draft pedigree of being selected 10th overall. But he parlayed a Pro Bowl selection in his fifth and final year in western New York into a stretch with New England where he was once crowned the game's top defender.
The South Carolina product was twice named First-Team All-Pro, including when he won Defensive Player of the Year in 2019, then followed it up with his fourth and fifth Pro Bowl seasons as he moved into the mercenary phase of his career. Gilmore played a single year in Carolina and Indianapolis before joining the Dallas Cowboys in 2023. He played for Minnesota in 2024 but did not suit up in 2025, so after 180 games played, $115 million in contracts and 32 interceptions, he's decided to end his pro football resume as he announced his retirement on Thursday.
Former Cowboys cornerback and former DPOY Stephon Gilmore has announced his retirement. Should get a gold jacket one day. https://t.
co/9QOkMIwiSz ā Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) April 2, 2026 The Cowboys acquired Gilmore in a trade with the Colts prior to the 2023 NFL Draft . The salary cost for the final remaining year of his deal wasn't much, a compensatory fifth-round selection. He played over 1,000 defense snaps and had a respectable 71.