New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore’s outstanding season serves a reminder to the other great defensive backs to wear the No. 24 in a Patriots’ uniform.
Just a year ago at this time, New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore was just coming into his own in his first season with the team. Fast forward to the beginning of 2019 and Gilmore has morphed into one of the best cornerbacks in the game.
After signing a 5-year, $65 million deal, Gilmore didn’t start his career in a Patriots’ uniform on the right track. He struggled with communication and just didn’t seem to be a good fit in New England. But, like great players do, Gilmore kept working hard and by the end of the season established himself as the team’s top cornerback.
That upward trend continued in 2018. Gilmore’s dynamic play earned him Pro Bowl and first team All-Pro honors. A true lockdown cornerback, Stephon Gilmore had added his name to a short list of great defensive backs to have ever worn the No. 24 for the New England Patriots.
As the lone player to make the Pro Bowl for the Patriots in 2018, Gilmore has heaped praise from his teammates, particularly Tom Brady who gushed about his all-around greatness.
"“He’s had a great year and he’s been just so solid,” Brady said during his news conference Thursday. “It’s tough to complete the ball on him. We feel that way in practice. I’ve played with a lot of good corners and he’s right up there with the best of them. He knocks the ball away, intercepts the ball, makes the quarterback pay. He’s physical, good in the run game, good in zone, good in short, intermediate deep. I mean, he’s all-around just been a great player for us.”"
Allowing just 42 catches on 90 targets for 466 yards, Stephon Gilmore has shutdown some great wide receivers in 2018. In the playoffs, he will be sure to line up across from some of the league’s best (possibly Keenan Allen and Tyreek Hill).
By adding a great postseason to his stellar regular season, Gilmore will establish himself as one of the greatest to wear the No. 24 and will put him on this short list of cornerbacks who represented the number in top fashion.
Darrelle Revis
Forget for a minute that Kyle Arrington and Cyrus Jones once rocked the No. 24. For just one season, Darrelle Revis reminded New England Patriots fans how valuable a shutdown corner is in a Bill Belichick system.
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In his lone season with the Patriots, Revis allowed 41 catches on 79 targets for 557 yards to prove that he was still an elite corner at the time.
While it is Revis’ previous resume that lands him on this list, his solid play in 2014 will always be remembered not for the plays he actually made, but the play that won Super Bowl XLIX against the Seattle Seahawks and made a name for Malcolm Butler.
Butler made a great play but having a shutdown cornerback like Darrelle Revis on the field really shortened the options for Russell Wilson.
In what turned out to be his last great season, Revis took the money and returned to the New York Jets the following season. But, in 2014 New England Patriots fans were reminded just what Bill Belichick could do with a player the caliber of Darrelle Revis.
It really is a shame he didn’t play more than one season in New England.
Dick Felt
Long before there was a New England Patriots dynasty and back when the team was actually known as the Boston Patriots, a defensive back out of Brigham Young University was the first great player to wear the No. 24.
Not many have heard of Dick Felt who passed away in 2012, but the defensive back played for the Patriots from 1962 to 1966 and was an all-star in 1962. Playing for a team that had limited success at the time, Felt help lead the team to the 1963 AFL Championship game.
Though he started his professional football career with the New York Titans, Dick Felt had a career 18 interceptions as a cornerback. Twelve of those interceptions came while playing for the Patriots. He won’t go down as one of the greats in team history, but he really started the trend of solid cornerbacks to have ever worn No. 24.
Ty Law
The greatest cornerback to have ever worn the No. 24 for the New England Patriots is certainly one Ty Law.
Named as a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Law’s dominance as a defensive back will never be forgotten. As a member of the Patriots Hall of Fame, Ty Law should be a sure bet this time around.
The numbers and film speak for themselves. A three-time first-team All-Pro selection from 2003-2005, the Michigan product defined the modern-day shutdown corner. His ability to change the complexion of a football game with his elite play was highlighted in games against the great Peyton Manning.
Law simply owned Manning, including one playoff game when he intercepted him three times. As a major part of the team’s first dynasty, is at the top of a long list of great cornerbacks to play under Bill Belichick. That not only includes Stephon Gilmore and Darrelle Revis, but also Asante Samuel and Aqib Talib.
In fact, because he was a major part of three Super Bowl championships, Ty Law is on a short list of the greatest New England Patriots defensive players of all time. As far as the No. 24, he is certainly the greatest. If Stephon Gilmore can put together a few more All-Pro seasons with the Patriots, we may have something to talk about.
Then again, if there are no Super Bowl championships involved, there really wouldn’t be an argument.