Patriots' Gilmore claims Defensive Player of the Year Award
New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore was named the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year at the NFL Honors show on Saturday.
Gilmore joins Charles Woodson, Deion Sanders, Rod Woodson, Lester Hayes, and Mel Blount as the only cornerbacks in league history to win the award (Woodson split time between cornerback and safety when he won in 2009).
A first-team All-Pro in 2019, Gilmore finished tied for the league lead in interceptions with six and pass breakups with 20. He yielded the third-lowest passer rating against (minimum 60 targets), trailing only teammate J.C. Jackson and Tre'Davious White of the Buffalo Bills.
The 29-year-old topped Arizona Cardinals pass-rusher Chandler Jones and Pittsburgh Steelers pass-rusher T.J. Watt in voting.
Gilmore is the first player in Patriots history to be named Defensive Player of the Year.