Former All-Pro CB bids emotional farewell to NFL after 2025 absence
The former NFL Defensive Player of the Year is officially stepping away from the game after playing 13 seasons.
One of the top NFL cornerbacks of the 2010s is officially stepping away from the league after a storied run that lasted over a decade. Stephon Gilmore, who did not play during the 2025 NFL season but spent the prior 13 seasons as a starter for various franchises, announced on social media on Thursday that he is retiring from the NFL, bringing a career that spanned two different decades and six different organizations (Bills, Patriots, Panthers, Colts, Cowboys, Vikings) to a close. "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," he wrote online.
Five-time Pro-Bowl CB Stephon Gilmore announced on IG that he is retiring from the NFL. pic. twitter.
com/qaMrO2HAKY — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 2, 2026 "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 was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2019, finishing as the league co-leader in interceptions. He is a five-time Pro Bowl and two-time All-Pro selection and helped the Patriots capture Super Bowl LIII.
He finishes his career with 617 tackles, 149 pass deflections, and 32 interceptions. This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Former All-Pro CB bids emotional farewell to NFL after 2025 absence