Law: Gilmore NFL’s best
Corners develop friendship
Stephon Gilmore quietly has taken the title as the NFL’s top cornerback. According to many analytical websites covering football, he is the best at his position.
Of course, there are some pundits outside the world of analytics who might disagree with that assessment.
Buffalo’s Tre’Davious White, Miami’s Xavien Howard, Chicago’s Kyle Fuller and Arizona’s Patrick Peterson also are pretty good, just to throw out a few names who are in the conversation.
A certain Hall of Fame inductee who played the position, however, said there should be no debate.
Ty Law doesn’t hedge. He believes everyone takes a backseat to Gilmore, who according to Pro Football Focus led all cornerbacks last season in forced incompletion rate (27 percent) and was the highest-graded player at the position.
“He’s the best cornerback in football right now,” Law said when reached by the Herald. “I didn’t see anybody out there playing any better (last season).”
The three-time Super Bowl-winning cornerback and one of the best players in Patriots history doesn’t need Gilmore’s statistics for verification. He knows just by watching.
“He’s really confident, and he’s taken his game to the next level. He’s first-team All-Pro. I think he’s going to continue to do that this year. He’ll be ready to roll.”
When told of Law’s assessment Tuesday, Gilmore was flattered, even if there might be some bias involved.
“He’s a guy who played at such a high level,” said
Gilmore, who just arrived in Foxboro from Charlotte, N.C. “He knows a lot about the game, so coming from someone like him, it’s a great honor to be mentioned in that category. But you have to keep it up. One thing I know about him, he did it for a long time at a high level. That’s one thing I want to do, keep playing at a high level and help the team get to where we want to go.”
During the past two years, Law and Gilmore, who share the No. 24 jersey, have become good friends. Their relationship started not long after Gilmore signed his five-year, $65 million free agent contract with the Pats in March 2017.
Gilmore and his predecessor met out on the practice field, exchanged numbers and have kept in touch ever since.
“We talk regularly during the season, get together when we can, and we’re going to continue to do so,” Law said. “Any way I can help him, I’ll offer advice.”
Gilmore appreciates having such a distinguished mentor in his corner.
“I’m a big history person. I like to know my history. I’ve watched the players who have played the game,” Gilmore said. “I wouldn’t be in the position I’m in now without those guys. But I met Ty at a practice and we’ve been good friends ever since. It’s an honor, really.”
Gilmore said even though they have different body types, they play the game similarly as far as technique.
“He’s probably a little thicker than I am,” Gilmore said. “But we play the game kind of similar. We talk about everything.”
Like knowing how to study film, reading receivers and quarterbacks, out-thinking the opponent, knowing the route before it’s run.
Given what finally transpired for the former Pats corner, Gilmore is now going to be wearing the number of a Pro Football Hall of Fame member, as Law will be enshrined in Canton on Aug. 3 along with seven others in the 2019 class.
Law is touched that it’s been so important to Gilmore to make sure to serve the number well. Darrelle Revis wore it for a year and was part of a championship in 2014. Gilmore now has one ring in his Patriots collection and wants more.
His interception of Rams quarterback Jared Goff in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LIII in February sealed the deal for championship No. 6. During the regular season, Gilmore had primary coverage on several of the NFL’s top receivers namely Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown (four catches, 49 yards, touchdown), Minnesota’s Stefan Diggs (five catches, 49 yards) and Green Bay’s Devante Adams (six catches, 40 yards, TD) and locked them down.
The way Law sees it, Gilmore is building his own legacy for No. 24. It’s his number now.
“For him to take that and want the number, and not being afraid of the comparisons, and to go out there and perform the way he has, it’s tremendous,” Law said of the 28-year-old corner. “But Stephon Gilmore is his own man. I told him the torch has passed. It’s your world now. He’s representing the number well. I’m happy for him. It’s pretty awesome to see him out there playing well. It’s like there’s still a piece of me out on the field.”
Gilmore, meanwhile, took on the number because growing up, a lot of his favorite players wore it. He had No. 24 in Buffalo, and when he arrived in New England, knowing who had it before him, it made sense to carry on the tradition of great corners.
“With the history of the number, with a lot of great players having worn it here, I try to represent it as well as I can,” Gilmore said.
The bond between Law and Gilmore strengthened during a recent trip to Israel, as they were part of team owner Robert Kraft’s annual pilgrimage last month.
“He’s the real deal. And he still seeks advice and asks questions. He’s still eager to learn,” Law said of Gilmore. “If he keeps it up, he’ll be around a long time. One day, you’ll see him in the Patriots Hall of Fame and the NFL Hall of Fame, as well.”
He’ll be there, following Law’s lead.