Had the New England Patriots released, rather than traded, Stephon Gilmore during the 2021 season, there's a good chance the star cornerback would have wound up in Kansas City.
Gilmore told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that he received a personal recruiting pitch from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes while he still was a member of the Patriots.
From ESPN.com:
The direct message Stephon Gilmore received just before the 2021 trade deadline highlights a reality of player recruitment: Whatever the rules, there's still plenty of gray area.
Gilmore, who hadn't played in 2021 after failing to negotiate a contract extension with the Patriots (he was technically on the PUP list with a quad injury), received a note from Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who had a clear message: I want you to be a teammate.
"You see it and you're like, 'what'?" Gilmore said.
Gilmore knew he was being shopped ahead of a likely release by the New England Patriots, but hadn't expected to hear from the Chiefs star.
"Mahomes gave me his number and we talked -- the message was me coming here is a great situation for me," Gilmore said. "It's always good to have those relationships around the league where you can talk ball or other things."
The Carolina Panthers ended up meeting New England's trade demands, trading a sixth-round pick for the rights to Gilmore. But if Mahomes' message was any indication, the Chiefs had heavy interest, and Gilmore sensed that.
Mahomes wasn't the only superstar QB who reached out, either. Gilmore said Aaron Rodgers did, as well.
"Right before the trade (to Carolina), Aaron Rodgers hit me up. Pat Mahomes hit me up," Gilmore, who's now with the Indianapolis Colts, told Fowler. "A lot of guys (were) because it was midseason and those guys are getting ready to go to the postseason. Some guys you don't follow, like who's hitting me up? And then you're like, 'wow, I should follow them.' It was a fun moment."
NFL teams are not permitted to contact or recruit players who are under contract with other clubs. But Gilmore's anecdote illustrates how fellow players often do just that.
We saw an example of that player-to-player recruitment Thursday night on Twitter, with Chargers defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day pitching Devin McCourty to sign with Los Angeles. The veteran safety shot down that offer, saying he only looks good in a Patriots uniform.
The Chargers themselves wouldn't be allowed to reach out to McCourty's representatives -- or those of any other external impending free agents -- until the NFL's legal tampering period opens Monday at noon ET.
