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New England Patriots Cornerback Stephon Gilmore Doesnt Let Trash Talk on the Field Hinder His Future

If you’re a casual football fan, your introduction to New England Patriots defensive back Stephon Gilmore was probably the interception — the one LA Rams quarterback Jared Goff probably still sees when he shuts his eyes at night.

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Sorry to make you relive this, non-New Englanders, but here goes: It’s late in the fourth quarter of last year’s all-defense Super Bowl between the Patriots and Rams. Goff floats one up near the end zone where Gilmore is happily waiting, jumping what looked like 10 feet off the ground with a catch. Boom, there’s the sixth Super Bowl ring for the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick dynasty.

There’s a decent amount of athletes that’ll give you the things weren’t easy for me routine, but for Gilmore … yeah, things weren’t easy. Try six seasons with the middling Buffalo Bills, where he saw three different head coaches and suffered a few tough injuries. When the Patriots signed him in 2017 to a five-year contract, you can understand why he made the most of the opportunity, becoming one of the league’s stingiest defensive backs almost immediately.

That includes this season, too, earning AFC Defensive Player of the Month honors in October, and a shoutout from legendary cornerback Darrell Revis, who recently dubbed him "by far the best corner in the league right now." Just this past Sunday, he had more catches than the poor guy he was guarding.

In what might come as a total surprise, players coached by Bill Belichick still manage to have some free time off the field. Last week, Gilmore partnered with Gillette to host a discussion at the Edgerley Family Boys & Girls Club in Boston about how to make a difference on and off the field.

Gillette

Beforehand, we caught Gilmore on the phone to talk about his Boys & Girls Club years, what it takes to make it on the Pats and how men can improve going into the next decade.

AskMen: Is it true that you were part of a Boys & Girls Club growing up?

Stephon Gilmore: Yeah, that's true. As a kid I was part of it. It taught me a lot of life lessons, and you know, I told myself if I had the opportunity to give back — me being in the position I am now — I would do that.

Were you part of the rec league system there at any point?

I played in a real league, on an actual team. I just went for the activities, and you know, being around the kids, it was a great opportunity for me growing up.

So it was more like foosball than basketball?

[Laughs] Yeah.

Starting early in your career, it seemed like there were a lot of head coaching changes with the teams that you were on, not to mention a couple injuries. What was the most important lesson that you learned back then that's made you so successful now?

I feel like, as you said, I had a lot of changes early in my career, and you can never get discouraged. You should always work hard. You should always treat people with respect, on and off the field, no matter what situation you're in. I feel like if you keep going at it being the best person you can be and the best player you can be, eventually, it will turn. People will start noticing that.

Especially with the Patriots, I feel like it takes a really special player and individual person to be successful. What it is about you as a person that's made you do so well in that organization specifically?

I feel like I'm a blue-collar guy, being from the south. I earned everything in my life. And if you want to be somewhere where you have to earn it no matter where you came from, you [have to] love the hard work each and every day, the sacrifices you make every day. It's the place you want to be.

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A post shared by Stephon Gilmore (@bumpnrungilmore) on Sep 17, 2019 at 7:25am PDT

When you started in New England, was there a new challenge you faced when working with them that you’d never faced in your career? There must be something different about playing in New England compared to anywhere else.

I just think the work each and every day, the preparation each and every day. And also being around great players and great people on and off the field, the relationships you build. And you know, it's just great. But I think it's just the preparation, the hard work.

You work closely with two really exceptional men: Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Is there anything you've learned from them that you think will stick after you've retired?

Not getting complacent, not looking at the past … you know, they're the most competitive [people] that I know. You think you know more than what you really know until you meet someone like them. When you really listen, and they really break it down for you, it allows you to have a better appreciation for the game of football. That's one thing that I learned from both of those guys.

Let’s talk about the brawl between Myles Garrett and Mason Rudolph. It reminded us at home how much emotion is involved in this sport. Is it hard not to get swept up in all those feelings during an intense game like that?

I would say it's hard, and you just have to know the rules and know how to control yourself in certain situations. That applies in life. Also, you know, know how to present yourself to the world, try to look your best, even when the situation is not best for you. That's how I look at it.

With your position specifically, it's such a one-on-one, man-on-man kind of thing. I'm sure guys must say the most ridiculous things to you on the field.

A lot of things can be said on the field or off the field, but as long as you bring yourself back to your purpose in life, you're not gnawing at everybody. A lot of people look up to you — you're a role model for a lot of people in this world, and you want to be the best role model you can be. If you can be a great player, be great, and if you can be a great person, be great. No matter what the circumstance is, if someone says something about you, be the better man and try to handle [it] the right way so it doesn't hinder you in the future.

What’s the takeaway? Just do you?

Yeah, you have to do you. You have to have confidence in yourself. People can say stuff, but it's the way you react. It's your confidence about yourself and how you attack each day.

What motivates you to do you in life?

A lot motivates me. My wife motivates me, my kids motivate me. Kids that look up to me motivate me. My teammates do. A lot motivates me to be the person and player I am today.

Finally, we’re going to go a bit broad with this one. Going into the next decade, what do you think we have to change as men?

I just feel like being better men in life, treating people better, and the way you present yourself — be more presentable. Just interacting with more people, being nicer to people because you never know what someone's going through. If all of us become a better person, and talk to people or ask them what's wrong with them, and try to uplift them, that will take us a long way.

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