Itās not too often that a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year becomes available, which is why the Carolina Panthers didnāt hesitate to pull the trigger and trade for Stephon Gilmore as soon as they could.
The standout defender wasnāt a part of Bill Belichickās plans anymore, even though heās still in his prime and was capable of providing more depth to an already dominant and scary defensive unit.
And now that Gilmore has officially made his debut with the Panthers, he didnāt hesitate to throw a couple of darts and call out the New England Patriots for the way they handled his contract and quadriceps injury.
NFL News: Stephon Gilmore Says He Didnāt Like The Way Patriots Handled His Injury
āI just didnāt like how they handled my situation, my injury. A lot went on with that I didnāt agree with,ā Gilmore told Patriots reporters, as quoted by ESPN. āNow that Iām here, Iām able to do the things I have to do to get me back ready to where I need to be. I learned a lot there. I have a lot of friends there. A lot of great coaches. I just didnāt like how they handled my situation with my injury.ā
āI donāt want to get into specifics. I just didnāt agree with it. Iāve put it behind me, and [am getting] ready for this game,ā Gilmore added when asked what the Patriots could have done differently regarding his injury.
Gilmore Felt Underpaid And Underappreciated
Gilmore had already stated that he felt like he deserved way more than the $7 million base salary he was due to make this season. But thatās just not the way the Patriots usually handle their finance:
āThatās a reason also, too,ā the defensive star said. āBut a lot goes on into it. Itās not just one specific thing. At the end of the day, itās a business. They treat it like a business, and we made the best decision for each other. ā¦ We had a conversation and it was better for both of us to go in opposite directions, whether it was the contract or whatever.ā
āI was OK with it (the trade). Itās a business. You canāt really control things when youāre playing in the National Football League. You just have to go with it, and I did. God put me in this position, and Iām happy.It was better for both of us to be in this position and Iām happy Iām back home now. Things just didnāt work out. Thatās life. You have to move on, and handle your situation the best way you can. ā¦ This is in the past. We have a big game this week coming up. Iām just looking forward to that opportunity,ā Gilmore concluded.
At the end of the day, the South Carolina native was cool with being traded close to home. Heās now focused on trying to help his new team make the playoffs, which will be a bit of an uphill battle.
