FOXBORO, Mass. — Since they joined the New England Patriots last spring, Stephon Gilmore and Brandin Cooks have been linked.
They were the co-headliners of New England’s unprecedented offseason spending spree — with Gilmore signing a five-year, $65 million contract and Cooks fetching a first-round draft pick in a trade with the New Orleans Saints — and entered the season with sky-high expectations.
Now, both are heading to their first Super Bowl.
“That’s my boy,” Gilmore said of Cooks after Sunday’s 24-20 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Championship Game. “That’s my guy.”
As Gilmore tells it, he and Cooks developed an immediate friendship after both arrived in New England in March.
“We signed here, and we kind of just hit it off when I first met him,” the cornerback said. “He’s a great guy. We always text when stuff happens and try to stay positive. That’s my guy.”
Gilmore struggled mightily in the first quarter of the season before emerging as New England’s most effective corner. Cooks drew criticism after catching just 40 percent of his targets over the final four weeks of the regular season but still finished with 65 receptions for 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns — second on the team behind tight end Rob Gronkowski in all three categories.
“You go through stuff sometimes,” Gilmore said. “Not always on the field, off the field, (too). We just try to stay positive. We’ve got each other’s back and pushing each other.”
Both players played starring roles in Sunday’s win over the Jaguars. Cooks caught six passes on eight targets for 100 yards and also drew two defensive pass interference penalties totaling 68 yards. Gilmore allowed just three catches for 48 yards and recorded a game-saving pass breakup on fourth-and-15 in the final minutes.
“In practice, we push each other,” Gilmore said. “He’s hard to cover in practice. He allowed me to get ready for other receivers in the league. We push each other. That’s what we do. We get better and better every day. He’s a great player and a great teammate.”
