The New England Patriots’ practices feature a uniquely fierce matchup of talented players. Cornerback Stephon Gilmore gets to try to shut down receiver Julian Edelman on a daily basis.
They get split off for installations of the playbook and the weekly game plan when the starting units play against the scout team. But during scrimmage sessions in training camp and 1-on-1 drills during the regular season, the Edelman-Gilmore competition is a nice example of how teammates can make each other better, even if they play different positions.
“He’s a very good football player. He’s very deserving of anything he gets. I’ve gotten a few wins, though,” Edelman said on Thursday at his locker with a smirk. “I think it’s unbelievable for me, because I get to go against a very good football player. He makes me better. I hope I make him better. You’d have to ask him. I’m glad we have Steph, but my focus is on the Buffalo Bills.”
They’re cordial in the locker room. On the football field, both players have less love for one another. When they first started matching up in 2017, they got ejected for fighting. That was Gilmore’s first season with the team.
“There’s not really no friends on the field to me,” Gilmore said during training camp that year. “Once I’m on the field, there’s no friends. But off the field, [it’s] very respectful. [I] respect everybody on this team. Talk to them. It’s nothing personal. It’s just when I’m on the field, I’m super competitive and there’s no friends.”
Edelman isn’t the only player who embraces the challenges that Gilmore presents. Receiver Phillip Dorsett loves when he gets matched up with the player he calls “the best corner in the game right now.” In particular, it’s a good week for Edelman and Dorsett to see Gilmore with regularity, because the team is preparing for cornerback Tre’Davious White, one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks.
“He plays well within the scheme. He’s really instinctive. He watches a lot of film on his receivers and their tendencies. He’s good at breaking on the ball and obviously he can catch,” Dorsett said. “It’s good (to have Gilmore), because I think Steph is the best corner in the game right now, but Tre’Davious is good, too. He’s up there. He’s a good player.”
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