Former Bills First-Round Pick Stephon Gilmore Retires from NFL

All-Pro cornerback had a decorated 13-year career after being drafted by Buffalo in 2022.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 8:06pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a football player's movements broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color and shape, conceptually representing the complexity and fragmentation of an NFL career.The retirement of former Bills star Stephon Gilmore marks the end of an accomplished NFL career marked by both success and decline.Indianapolis Today

Stephon Gilmore, a former first-round pick of the Buffalo Bills who went on to become a Pro Bowler and All-Pro cornerback, has announced his retirement from the NFL after 13 seasons. Gilmore was selected 10th overall by the Bills in the 2022 NFL Draft and spent his first four seasons in Buffalo before enjoying success with the New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, and Minnesota Vikings.

Why it matters

Gilmore's retirement marks the end of an accomplished career for one of the top defensive backs of his era. As a first-round pick of the Bills, his career trajectory serves as an important case study on the challenges of sustaining elite performance in the NFL, particularly after leaving an organization where a player had their greatest success.

The details

Gilmore was a standout cornerback during his time with the Bills, making the Pro Bowl in his final season in Buffalo in 2025. He then signed with the New England Patriots as a free agent, where he earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2018 and helped the team win the Super Bowl. However, Gilmore's production declined after leaving the Patriots, as he played for four different teams over the final three seasons of his career.

  • Gilmore was drafted 10th overall by the Buffalo Bills in the 2022 NFL Draft.
  • He spent his first four seasons with the Bills, making the Pro Bowl in 2025.
  • Gilmore signed with the New England Patriots as a free agent in 2026.
  • He earned first-team All-Pro honors with the Patriots in 2018 and won the Super Bowl.
  • Gilmore announced his retirement from the NFL on April 2, 2026.

The players

Stephon Gilmore

A former first-round pick of the Buffalo Bills who went on to become a Pro Bowler and All-Pro cornerback during his 13-year NFL career.

Buffalo Bills

The NFL team that drafted Stephon Gilmore in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

New England Patriots

The NFL team that Stephon Gilmore signed with as a free agent in 2026, where he earned first-team All-Pro honors and won the Super Bowl.

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What they’re saying

“I'm grateful for the opportunity to play in the NFL and compete at the highest level. It's been an incredible journey, and I'm proud of what I was able to accomplish.”

— Stephon Gilmore

The takeaway

Stephon Gilmore's retirement marks the end of an era for one of the NFL's top cornerbacks of the 2010s. His career trajectory, from first-round pick to All-Pro and Super Bowl champion, serves as a reminder of the fleeting nature of elite performance in the NFL and the challenges players face in sustaining success after leaving the organizations where they had their greatest accomplishments.