Stephon Gilmore Likely Done For Season With Partially Torn Quad

BOSTON (CBS) -- When Stephon Gilmore fell in a heap during Sunday's game against the Dolphins, most viewers -- and likely Gilmore himself -- feared the worst.

Apparently, though, there's some good news on that front, as it appears as though the veteran cornerback has avoided any torn ligaments.

That's according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, who reported Monday morning that despite the Patriots' initial report of a knee injury, the issue is more muscular than structural for Gilmore.

"It was initially labeled a knee injury. My understanding is that it was actually a leg injury and not nearly as serious as it appears," Rapoport said on the network.

That being said, Rapoport said that Gilmore is expected to miss the Patriots' final two games of the season. But by avoiding a torn knee, his rehab and recovery time figures to be much, much shorter.

"Based on where the Patriots are -- they're out of the playoffs now officially -- Gilmore's expected to be done for the regular season. But he's going to have tests [Monday], more of the thigh, quad area, kind of above the knee just to see what is there," Rapoport said. "But certainly not something where it is an injury as serious as we thought."

Gilmore, 30, didn't quite maintain his level of play from the 2019 season, when he was named the Defensive Player of the Year. Still, he recorded three pass defenses and an interception, one forced fumble and 37 total tackles in 11 games played. He missed three games due to a knee injury.

UPDATE: Rapoport said later on Monday that Gilmore has a partially torn quad and will undergo surgery on Tuesday.

Gilmore is under contract for just $7 million next season, after some of his 2021 salary was moved to 2020 as a bonus of sorts. Surely, Gilmore won't be entering 2021 under that contact, so his future with New England will be a top question mark of the forthcoming offseason.

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