FOXBORO, Mass. — Stephon Gilmore dreamed for years about throwing out the first pitch at a Major League Baseball game, but nerves weren’t an issue for the New England Patriots cornerback when he stepped to the mound last week at Fenway Park.
As part of New England’s Lombardi Trophy celebration, Gilmore, wide receiver Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski all tossed ceremonial pitches before the Boston Red Sox’s home opener, accompanied by a large group of their Patriots teammates.
It’s safe to say Gilmore was pleased with his performance.
“I’m pretty confident,” the first-team All-Pro recalled Thursday at Gillette Stadium. “I know I was going to throw it down the mound. I thought I was going to get signed after that, but I didn’t. But it was fun. It was a fun opportunity to throw out the first pitch, something you dream of growing up as a kid, especially at Fenway. It was a great opportunity.”
Though the public wasn’t made aware of it until Wednesday, the highlight of the Patriots’ visit to Fenway was Gronkowski denting the team’s newest Lombardi by using it to bunt an Edelman pitch.
“Yeah, I didn’t think he was going to do that,” Gilmore said with a smile. “Gronk being Gronk, I guess. It was funny but a shocking moment. It was a fun time, though. … I wouldn’t have done that.”
