Stephon Gilmore says he was ‘not surprised’ Tom Brady left in free agency
"It's a business, and that's how you have to look at it."
When asked about his reaction to Tom Brady’s decision to head to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Stephon Gilmore made it clear it didn’t come as a shock.
“Not surprised,” Gilmore told ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “A player like him, playing somewhere that long, you never can see it, but it shows you that in the National Football League it can be anyone going somewhere. It’s a business, and that’s how you have to look at it.”
Gilmore, the NFL’s reigning defensive player of the year, also shared his thoughts on the future of the team. He told Reiss that second-year quarterback Jarrett Stidham has a strong arm and got better as his rookie year progressed.
“He makes some tough throws,” Gilmore said. “Definitely made it hard on me in practice each and every week, going against whoever I was covering, making some great throws. It allowed me to get better in practice to prepare for the games.”
As for the state of the roster without Brady, Gilmore said leaders have to earn trust from their teammates every year. Once everyone comes together, Gilmore expects leaders to present themselves naturally.
Enjoy every moment you have. Life has no rewinds. 💯
— The Gilly Lock (@BumpNrunGilm0re) March 27, 2020
He said a team never knows exactly what players’ roles will look like until the season starts. Gilmore, who is currently spending time at home in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and two children has “kept an even keel” throughout the offseason, according to Reiss.
“It’s a clean slate right now,” Gilmore told Reiss. “Everybody has to prove themselves, each and every year. No matter where you’re at, it starts over every year.”
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