Super Bowl champion Stephon Gilmore retiring from NFL at 35

Super Bowl champion Stephon Gilmore announced on Thursday he was retiring from the NFL after 13 seasons in the league.

Gilmore, 35, made the announcement in a post on Instagram. He shared several highlights of his career from his days in college and through the NFL.

“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,” the captioned the collage.

“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.”

He thanked his family and coaches for their support throughout his career.

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“And to the fans—thank you for your support. I have had an incredible 13 years in the League, and I cannot wait to see what this next chapter holds,” he added.

The Buffalo Bills selected Gilmore with the No. 10 overall pick of the 2012 draft out of South Carolina. He played five seasons with the Bills and earned his first Pro Bow election in his final year there in 2016.

Gilmore emerged as a superstar defensive back with the New England Patriots. In 2018, he was in the secondary when the Patriots won the Super Bowl. He led the NFL with six interceptions in 2019 as he won the Defensive Player of the Year Award.

He then played for the Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings in the final four years of his career. He didn’t play in 2025.

He finishes his career with 617 tackles, 32 interceptions and two interceptions returned for a touchdown. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro selection.