The end of Stephon Gilmore’s season became official Wednesday.
The New England Patriots have placed the 30-year-old cornerback on injured reserve, according to the transaction wire.
Gilmore went down without contact in the second quarter of New England’s 22-12 loss to the Miami Dolphins last Sunday. He was helped from the blue medical tent to the Hard Rock Stadium tunnel, and later downgraded to out with what the team initially announced as a knee injury.
NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported earlier in the week that Gilmore suffered a partially torn quadriceps but no structural damage to his knee. He has since undergone surgery and is expected to be available for “some portion of the offseason program,” Rapoport said.
Gilmore started each of his 11 games on the campaign for a Patriots team that stands at 6-8 and out of the playoff picture. Gilmore recorded 37 tackles and one interception while allowing 27 catches on 42 targets and a pair of touchdowns, per Pro Football Focus.
The 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year is under contract through 2021. He has earned consecutive first-team All-Pro selections, and was recently named a Pro Bowler for the third time since arriving in Foxborough and fourth time since entering the league with the Buffalo Bills at No. 10 overall in the 2012 draft.
New England’s active cornerback depth chart includes J.C. Jackson, Jason McCourty, Jonathan Jones, Joejuan Williams, undrafted rookie Myles Bryant and veteran gunner Justin Bethel. Michael Jackson Sr. resides on the practice squad.
Gilmore’s former team, the AFC East-clinching Bills, will visit Gillette Stadium for an 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff Monday.