Stephon Gilmore Almost Missed Daughter's Birth To Sign Patriots Contract
BOSTON (CBS) -- Most parents are lucky enough to avoid the stress and drama of childbirth that is typically reserved for television shows and movies. Often, the process takes many long hours, and sometimes days.
But new Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore was not so lucky, as he endured a wild journey to make it to the hospital in time for the birth of his second child.
"When I flew into New England, I was a free agent, so when I flew in to sign my contract here, I had to fly right back that same day because I found out my wife was going into labor," Gilmore said in an MMQB article chronicling the influx of new babies among Patriots players. "I signed in Foxborough and I came back to Charlotte, and as soon as I landed I got to the hospital and waited about an hour and my daughter came."
It was a happy ending for Gilmore in getting to see the birth of his daughter, Gisele. But it was quite a stressful day for someone who was putting his name on a $65 million contract with $40 million guaranteed.
"I didn't want to miss that, so I'm glad she waited until I got there," Gilmore said. "I was concerned about getting there too late, but I just had some feeling in my heart that I wasn't going to miss it."
Earlier this offseason, Gilmore shared the timing of the birth, but not quite in the same detail.
Gilmore was far from the only Patriots player to welcome a new baby to the family during this offseason. Devin McCourty, Chris Hogan, Nate Solder, Brandon Bolden, and James Develin all had children within two months of the Patriots' Super Bowl LI victory in February. (In a story quite different from Gilmore's, McCourty said his wife was in labor for nearly 48 full hours.)
The players all answered the basic dad questions, but they were also asked what they will tell their kids about the historic Super Bowl LI comeback.
"I'll try to use it as a lesson to show her and tell her never to give up and whatever you are involved in, believe in your process in whatever you've done and the hard work you've put in," McCourty said.
