A day after being traded to the Panthers, cornerback Stephon Gilmore addressed reporters in Carolina Thursday afternoon.
“It’s no hard feelings,” Gilmore said of being traded by the Patriots. “It’s business. It happens all the time. I had good years there, and I’m happy to be a Panther now.”
Gilmore said Bill Belichick called him Wednesday to let him know he was being traded, which came following word got out the Patriots planned on releasing him. Carolina swooped in and made the Patriots an offer being the move became official at 4 p.m.
For Gilmore, it's a homecoming as the Panthers are the team he rooted for growing up and he has a home in Charlotte.
“It’s been a crazy 24 hours,” he said. “From sitting in the meeting room, to talking to Bill to getting traded to flying down here. So it’s been a crazy 24 hours, but it’s over now. I’m looking forward to the future.”
As for his contract, the plan seems to be for Gilmore to play out his current deal, which has him getting paid $5.8 million the rest of the year. The organization has said they are open to an extension down the road.
“I’m just trying to go out and get on the field,” Gilmore said. “Once I get on the field, everything will take care of itself. I believe in that. You’ve got to go out and make plays and show what you can do. … We haven’t really talked about (a potential extension) yet. That stuff will (work) itself out. I’ve just got to make sure I handle my business and try to do whatever I can to get back out there and make plays.”
Since he's on PUP, Gilmore is first eligible to play in Week 7.
