FOXBORO, Mass. — Should Stephon Gilmore take home the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year Award?
To Julian Edelman, the answer to that question is obvious.
“One hundred percent,” the New England Patriots wide receiver said Friday. “He’s a monster.”
Gilmore has cemented his status as the league’s top cornerback this season. He enters Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Miami Dolphins ranked first in the NFL in passes defended (19), tied for first in interceptions (six) and second in passer rating against (39.7), trailing only Patriots teammate J.C. Jackson.
Gilmore, who recently said he deserves to be Defensive Player of the Year, was one of three Patriots players voted to the 2020 Pro Bowl, joining linebacker Dont’a Hightower and special teamer Matthew Slater.
“He works incredibly hard,” Edelman said. “He’s a really great teammate. He doesn’t talk very much, but when he does talk, everyone listens. That’s the kind of guy he is. I think he’s very deserving of that award. He had an incredible year, and I’m looking forward to keeping it going. I’m sure he doesn’t really want to talk about it because he’s not that type of guy who worries about those things. He’s a team guy. That’s what you love about him the most.”
No cornerback has won Defensive Player of the Year since Charles Woodson did so in 2009. Only three have received the award since 1981: Woodson, Deion Sanders (1994) and Rod Woodson (1993).
