New England Patriots star Stephon Gilmore has earned a lot of respect from his NFL peers on his way to becoming one of the sport's best defensive players.
The veteran cornerback won the AP's Defensive Player of the Year award in 2019 after tying for the league lead in interceptions and leading all defensive players with 20 passes defensed. He was the first Patriots player ever to win the award and the first cornerback since 2009.
Gilmore posted a graphic to Instagram on Monday where he acknowledged his accomplishments in the past and made it very clear he's motivated to achieve a lot more.
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Check it out in the post below:
The post drew several replies from NFL players, including one from Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey -- an elite player who, on Wednesday, agreed to a massive five-year contract extension worth $105 million.
Ramsey mentioned Gilmore having a gold jacket ready for him -- a reference to the jacket players receive when inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Will Gilmore eventually reach the Hall of Fame? He's definitely on his way. In addition to his 2019 DPOY award, Gilmore has two first team All-Pro selections and three Pro Bowl appearances. He also won Super Bowl LIII with the Patriots and made a huge fourth quarter interception in that game.
New England Patriots
The Patriots need another strong season from their defense to return to the playoffs, and Gilmore will again play a huge part in that effort. The journey begins Sunday when the Patriots host the rival Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium.