South Carolina football legend defying Father Time for undefeated NFL squad
There are no South Carolina football alums in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Names like Sterling Sharpe, Tom Addison, Bobby Bryant, and John Abraham all deserve to be in the Hall already but have been left out up to this point. However, there is one active NFL Gamecock who will end the Hall of Fame drought: cornerback Stephon Gilmore.
The former Mr. Football in the Palmetto State was part of the winningest teams ever at USC (the Gamecocks owned a 33-6 record from 2009-2011) before becoming a 1st round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Now, as the oldest starting cornerback in the league, Gilmore is still performing at a high level.
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In his first year with the Minnesota Vikings, the former Gamecock is defying Father Time.
At age 34, Gilmore is having a nice 2024 campaign, but his week 4 and week 5 performances were among the best in the sport.
Last week against the Green Bay Packers, he put receivers in green and yellow on an island. According to PFF, Gilmore spent 44 snaps in pass coverage; he allowed just 3 receiving yards. He gave up just one underneath pass completion and knocked away the only other on-target pass attempt.
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This Sunday, playing in London, the Vikings veteran had another good showing. He capped off the day with a game-sealing interception of Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Trailing by six, Rodgers attempted a back-shoulder throw to former Clemson wideout Mike Williams on 3rd-and-10. Gilmore read the throw better than Williams, planted, and dove down to intercept the pass. The play preserved the victory and the NFL’s only 5-0 record (the Kansas City Chiefs are 4-0 and play Monday).
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Cornerbacks, especially in the modern NFL, don’t usually play well as they age. For reference, Hall of Fame cover men like Darrelle Revis, Herb Adderley, and Lem Barney retired before they turned 34. Gilmore, meanwhile, is still going strong. Other than an injury-riddled 2021 season with the Carolina Panthers, the “Gilly Lock” has started every game in which he has appeared over the last decade.
During his South Carolina football career, Stephon Gilmore was a two-time All-American and a Freshman All-American. In the NFL, he has made five Pro Bowls, won Super Bowl LIII with the New England Patriots, and received the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year honor.
