New Dallas Cowboys corner Stephon Gilmore reacts to trade after lifetime of fandom

Cornerback Stephon Gilmore‘s trade from the Indianapolis Colts to the Dallas Cowboys was a dream come true for the 32-year-old.

The NFL vet opened up about the move to reporters on Thursday, sharing that his father and uncle are diehard Cowboys fans and he, in turn, has been a fan since childhood.

“I’ve been a Dallas fan my whole life,” Gilmore said, via Jon Machota. “Once I heard the news I was so excited.”

The former South Carolina standout will be playing for his fourth team in 12 years since he entered the draft and went No. 10 overall to the Bills in 2012.

Asked how he has managed to continue to grow and excel, Gilmore told reporters that it’s a daily and yearly process.

“It’s a little bit of everything,” Gilmore said. “I try to add something every year. You got to stay on it… never think you’ve got it. You have to stay on taking care of your body. Studying film.

“Plays that I make now, I didn’t make when I was younger, because I’m more knowledgeable now. When I was younger I just locked on to receivers. I might have shut them down, but now I can lock on and know what’s going to happen before it happens. I just use that to my advantage.”

Despite taking on a $9 million cap hit for Gilmore in 2023, the Cowboys got the veteran at a steal. They traded a fifth-round pick in the 2023 draft. The selection was one of three compensatory picks the team would have in April.

Cowboys boost defensive unit with Gilmore addition

The talking heads at ESPN loved the Cowboys’ move to grab the 2019 NFL defensive player of the year.

Former NFL cornerback Domonique Foxworth shared that he believes the 32-year-old has the juice still to give the Cowboys a significant boost.

“I think it’s a major acquisition,” Foxworth said on Get Up. “If he can play as well as he did last year, and there’s no reason to believe that he can’t, he will help them.”

In 16 games last season with the Colts, Gilmore recorded 11 passes defended — his most since a league-high 20 in 2020. Two interceptions were also hauled in, one of which came against Dallas QB Dak Prescott.

Former Patriots legend Tedy Bruschi thinks the move means the Cowboys will rely even more on the defense now that they have two Pro Bowl corners on the field.

“There are certain areas of the offseason that I love because teams tell you the truth,” Bruschi said. “What they do in free agency tells you the truth about who they feel they are. Resign Donovan Wilson, re-sign Vander Esch, and get Gilmore to play opposite (Trevon) Diggs.

“The corner away from Diggs was a big weakness for Dallas last year. You’re fixing the defense and making it even more formidable. They can’t pass protect so they’re going to depend on this defense more and depend on the run game more.”