New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is not exactly known for his sparkling personality, so he may not be the best guy to deliver good news.
Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore found that out the hard way when Belichick called him up to inform him that he had made the Pro Bowl:
Stephon Gilmore was #pumped to make the Pro Bowl pic.twitter.com/PIKGXG2mUv
— Kevin Duffy (@KevinRDuffy) December 19, 2018
In all seriousness, Gilmore likely expected nothing like that from the stern Belichick.
And good for Gilmore, too.
A prized free agent signing of the Patriots in March 2017, Gilmore labored for New England during his first season, perhaps struggling to deal with the pressure of a large market after spending the first five years of his career with the Buffalo Bills.
This season, however, has been a different story for Gilmore, who has registered 41 tackle, a sack, two interceptions, a pair of forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and 18 passes defended.
The 28-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of South Carolina, was originally selected by the Bills with the 10th overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft.
It didn't take long for Gilmore to stamp his name among the best cornerbacks in the league, and in his fifth and final year with Buffalo, Gilmore was elected to his first Pro Bowl after finishing with 48 stops, five picks, and 12 passes defended.
That ensuing offseason, the Pats signed Gilmore to a five-year, $65 million deal.
The Patriots are coming off of a tough road loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, which dropped them to 9-5. However, they can still clinch the AFC East with a win over Gilmore's former Bills squad this weekend.
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