Stephon Gilmore still remembers the 2003 Super Bowl when the Carolina Panthers played the New England Patriots.
Gilmore, a Rock Hill native and then a Panthers fan, said though the Panthers lost 32-29, it still remains one of his favorite memories growing up.
“Steve Smith, Jake Delhomme, Stephen Davis, Julius Peppers,” Gilmore said when asked which players he liked to watch growing up. “(Tim) Biakabutuka. Seems like a long time ago, but I was a big fan.”
The 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year spoke to Charlotte media members for the first time since being traded from the Patriots to the Panthers.
He wore a Jordan Brand T-shirt and spoke in such a quiet tone that you had to lean in to hear him.
But Gilmore said he was excited to join his hometown team, and he harbored no bad feelings for the Patriots.
“It’s a business,” he said Thursday. “It happens all the time. I had good years there, and I’m happy to be a Panther now.”
Gilmore had been unhappy with his contract, according to multiple media reports, and the sides could not come to agreement on a restructured deal.
The Patriots announced that they were going to release him Wednesday, but the Panthers stepped in before the 4 p.m. release deadline and offered a trade.
The Patriots accepted, and Gilmore said he received a call from Patriots coach Bill Belichick that he had been traded.
“It’s been a crazy 24 hours from sitting in the meeting room to talking with Bill to getting traded to flying down here today,” Gilmore said. “So it’s been a crazy 24 hours, but it’s over now and I’m looking forward to the future.”
The Patriots have already paid $7 million of Gilmore’s salary. The Panthers are on the hook for at least $5.05 million, and, at most $5.4 million if he plays in every game he’s eligible. He has a roster bonus for every game he is active.
Gilmore won the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year award after recording 20 pass deflections and six interceptions — two he returned for touchdowns. However, he had his worst season in 2020, as he dealt with COVID-19 and missed the final two regular-season games with a quadriceps injury.
Gilmore hasn’t played since Week 15 of the 2020 regular season.
Gilmore won’t be able to play for the Panthers this week against the Eagles. He was set to come off the Physically Unable to Perform list after recovering from the quad injury, but because he was traded, Gilmore will stay on the PUP list and can’t practice until after Week 6 — ahead of the Panthers’ game at the New York Giants.
In the meantime, he’ll be in team meetings and hopes to be prepared when his time does come.
When asked about his health and whether he thought he’d be healthy enough to play, Gilmore said “he’s taking it one day at time,” but added that he’s been running and lifting. He also said he passed his physical with the Panthers.
Gilmore has a home in Waxhaw and lives three doors down from Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer. He also said his parents still live in Rock Hill, and he reminisced about the his childhood and running around cones with his dad as he threw him the ball.
“It’s a lot of memories here,” Gilmore said. “I always wanted to (play here) growing up as a kid. Some things you can’t control. You always dreamed about it.
“But I’m glad it happened.”
