![\"Stephon](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Stephon-Gilmore-e1775159796866.jpg\")
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Former Bills cornerback Stephon Gilmore has announced his retirement from the NFL<\/p>\n
The Buffalo Bills<\/a> have made quite a few changes<\/a> this offseason in an effort to find a way to get themselves back to the Super Bowl. As of right now, there are quite a few reasons for encouragement, but of course, nobody will know what this team looks like until they take the field for Week 1 of the 2026 campaign in September.<\/p>\n While the Bills have made several moves to reinforce their roster this offseason, they have also seen several of their former players make big career decisions. Another one of those decisions came to light on Thursday afternoon, as former Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore<\/a> made a big announcement regarding his NFL career.<\/p>\n Stephon Gilmore Announces Retirement from the NFL<\/p>\n The Bills selected Gilmore with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2012 NFL<\/a> Draft, and he immediately earned a starting role in their secondary. Through his first four seasons, Gilmore held his own, but he didn\u2019t manage to reach the expectations that come with being a first-round pick. Despite earning a Pro Bowl selection in 2016, the Bills opted to let him hit the open market, where he signed with their AFC East rival, the New England Patriots<\/a>.<\/p>\n After a rough 2017 campaign, Gilmore finally managed to realize his potential in 2018 and 2019, with the latter season seeing him put together one of the best individual campaigns from a cornerback in NFL history. Gilmore earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro First Team selections in both years, while also winning the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2019.<\/p>\n Gilmore was traded early in the 2021 campaign to the Carolina Panthers, and he would spend time with the Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys<\/a>, and Minnesota Vikings in 2022, 2023, and 2024 (respectively) before not playing in 2025. This offseason, Gilmore decided it was time to ride off into the sunset, as he announced his retirement<\/a> from the NFL on social media.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a young, scrappy kid from Rock Hill South Carolina with humble beginnings, the eldest of 6 \u2013 you gave me focus, opportunity, strength, and friends to last a lifetime,\u201d Gilmore said as part of his statement on Instagram. \u201cFrom 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Stephon Gilmore Realized His Potential \u2026 Just Not with the Bills GettyCornerback Stephon Gilmore<\/p>\n Gilmore is one of the more polarizing draft picks in recent memory for the Bills. He was solid during his time in town, but it will always sting that he played his best football for the Patriots, helping them win Super Bowl LIII over the Los Angeles Rams<\/a>. Had Gilmore played as he did for New England, there\u2019s no doubt Buffalo would not have let him leave in free agency.<\/p>\n That\u2019s how the cookie crumbles sometimes, though, and Gilmore will be remembered fondly for his time with the Bills. After all, they gave him his start in the NFL and helped develop him so that he could become the superstar he turned into with the Patriots. His peak was short, but there\u2019s a chance that Gilmore could find his way into the Hall of Fame in due time.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tOwen Crisafulli<\/a> Owen Crisafulli is a Breaking News Writer at Heavy. In addition to writing for Heavy, Owen works as a Content Producer for More Views Media. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Bills\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t![\"Stephon](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1198903691-e1757990028403.jpg\")
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