Stephon Gilmore was phenomenal in 2019. He was a lockdown cornerback, the NFL’s best cornerback, a Pro Bowler and First-team All-Pro. 

That’s why it’s only fitting that on Saturday, Gilmore was named the NFL’s 2019 Defensive Player of the Year. The honor caps off a dominant 2019 season in which saw Gilmore as the Patriots best player. He finished 2019 tied for the NFL-lead in interceptions (6) and led the league in passes defended (20). [...]

Stephon Gilmore was phenomenal in 2019. He was a lockdown cornerback, the NFL’s best cornerback, a Pro Bowler and First-team All-Pro. 

That’s why it’s only fitting that on Saturday, Gilmore was named the NFL’s 2019 Defensive Player of the Year. The honor caps off a dominant 2019 season in which saw Gilmore as the Patriots best player. He finished 2019 tied for the NFL-lead in interceptions (6) and led the league in passes defended (20).

Gilmore becomes the first player in Patriots franchise history to win the Defensive Player of the Year, which started in 1971. He’s the first defensive back to win the honor since Troy Polamalu in 2010 and becomes one of six cornerbacks in NFL history to win the award joining Mel Blount (1975), Lester Hayes (1980), Rod Woodson (1993), Deion Sanders (1994) and Charles Woodson (2009). 

This season, Gilmore anchored the NFL’s top ranked defense. The Patriots finished No. 1 in the NFL in total defense (275.9 yards per game) and points allowed per game (14.1). On top of setting a career high in interceptions, Gilmore also returned two of those picks for touchdowns. He also became the second player (along with Hall-of-Famer Ty Law) in Patriots franchise history with multiple 20+ passes defended in a season.

This season, per Football Reference, quarterbacks completed 50.5% of their passes thrown in Gilmore's direction. Opposing quarterbacks also had a 44.1 passer rating when targeting the Patriots No. 1 cornerback. Gilmore gave up zero touchdowns last season, according to Football Reference. He did all that while covering opposing No. 1 receivers such as Odell Beckham Jr., Amari Cooper, DeVante Parker, Terry McLaurin, A.J. Brown and Robby Anderson. According to the NFL Network, Houston Texans star receiver DeAndre Hopkins gave Gilmore a standing ovation at the NFL Honors show.

The DPOY award caps off an incredible season for Gilmore that included his third career Pro Bowl selection (second with New England), a second consecutive selection to the AP All-Pro First Team and earned Pro Football Writer Association’s All-NFL Team honors for the second straight season. Gilmore was also named the Pro Football Writer Association’s Defensive Player of the Year. He was also named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for October.

On top of all that, Gilmore earned the Ron Hobson Media Good Guy Award this season, which is given to a Patriots player each year who is the most available and accommodating to the local media.

The DPOY award is decided by a panel of 50 AP sports writers who cover the NFL. Gilmore earned 21 votes, beating out Arizona’s Chandler Jones (14) and Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt (10).