After contemplating retirement before the 2025 season, veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore has officially decided to hang up his cleats.

Gilmore announced his retirement in an Instagram post on Thursday following 13 seasons in the NFL. He spent the 2024 season with the Minnesota Vikings on a one-year deal, but he was unsigned for the entire 2025 campaign.

“To the fans—thank you for your support,” Gilmore wrote in the caption. “I have had an incredible 13 years in the League, and I cannot wait to see what this next chapter holds.”

After the Vikings were eliminated from the playoffs with a loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card Round over a year ago, Gilmore admitted to Andrew Krammer of the Minnesota Star Tribune that his body was “feeling it” more than usual as he entered the offseason and added that he would “sit down with my family and think about what’s best for me and go from there.” He ultimately decided that he was ready to transition to a new phase in his life.

In his lone season in Minnesota, Gilmore appeared in 15 games and finished with 56 total tackles, nine passes defended and an interception. He continued his streak of recording at least one interception every year he’s been in the NFL since being the No. 10 overall pick in the 2012 draft.

Gilmore spent the first five years of his career with the Buffalo Bills and earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 2016. He signed with the New England Patriots the following year and blossomed into one of the best cornerbacks in the league.

After earning his first career Super Bowl title with the Patriots at the end of the 2018 season, Gilmore put forth his best year in 2019 and earned the Defensive Player of the Year award after leading the league with 20 passes defended and a career-high six interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns.

Gilmore has also suited up for the Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys. He ends his career with 617 total tackles, 149 passes defended, 32 interceptions, eight forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two return touchdowns.

The 35-year-old will now get to kick his feet up and enjoy retirement following his stellar career.