FOXBORO, Mass. — Stephon Gilmore has been with the New England Patriots less than five months, yet the cornerback already has mastered the art of saying absolutely nothing.
In other words, he’s embracing the Patriot Way.
That isn’t a knock. In fact, one could argue it’s a compliment given the recent success of the Patriots and the way in which they operate. But it’s always interesting to see how new players adapt to playing in New England, which is unlike any other environment in the NFL, and Gilmore appears to be fitting in just fine since signing a five-year, $65 million contract with the Patriots in free agency over the offseason.
“It’s good. I’m getting better and better every day, trying to learn the calls and learn the scheme,” Gilmore said Thursday on the back fields at Gillette Stadium after the team’s first training camp practice of 2017. “OTAs and minicamp helped me out a lot. (It’s) the first day of training camp, I feel more comfortable, so I’m just trying to get better every day.”
See what we mean?
On Thursday, Gilmore repeatedly stressed the importance of taking things one day at a time, which might as well appear on the cover of the Bill Belichick playbook, right under the organization’s “Do Your Job” mantra. It’s possible we’ll see more personality and candor from Gilmore as he continues to get acclimated with his new team, but for now, he’s sticking to the script.
“They just tell us to come out here and practice hard,” said Gilmore, who spent his first five seasons with the Buffalo Bills after being drafted in the first round in 2012. “If you practice hard, it’ll carry over to the game and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Expectations certainly are high for Gilmore, especially with him playing alongside another elite cornerback in Malcolm Butler. Opposing receivers should have their work cut out for themselves this season, though Gilmore — in true Patriot fashion — isn’t taking anything for granted.
“That’s a good compliment, but I just try to take it one day at a time,” Gilmore said upon learning that Butler believes they could be the best cornerback duo in the NFL. “Every year it starts over. We have to prove ourselves.
“I’ve been proving myself my whole life. It’s nothing new. It’s just on a new team,” the 2016 Pro Bowl pick added. “I’m trying to get better and trying to do whatever I can to help this team win.”
Spoken like a true Patriot.
Thumbnail photo via Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports Images
