At the start of the 2025 season, cornerback Christian Gonzalez was set to miss a few games due to a lingering injury from the summer. It prompted widespread concern about the Patriots’ secondary and had countless fans hoping Mike Vrabel would consider bringing back a familiar face to help ensure the defense was at its best for a successful start.

That feeling was only amplified when one cornerback, in particular, remained unsigned and had previously stated he would like to end his career in New England, making fans jump on the idea of bringing him back as soon as possible.

Stephon Gilmore never put the speculation to rest and, in fact, only made it more intense, even up to the Patriots’ Week 18 game against the Dolphins. Although they might not need help at the position, which some might say isn’t true after Carlton Davis’ rough game, Gilmore seemed to hint at wanting a reunion that fans will surely get behind.

Stephon Gilmore hints at wanting to return to the Patriots

In a recent post on his TikTok account, Gilmore shared a highlight video of his time with the Patriots, including one season that ended with him being crowned Defensive Player of the Year.

It inevitably created a stir amongst fans, who are now clamoring for his return even more, and maybe it can still happen, even after the 2025 season concludes.

He might be a few years older than the last time he suited up with the team, but Gilmore has been a consistently impressive cornerback in the years since he was traded, and it’s actually shocking that he watched the 2025 season from home rather than on a competitor’s roster.

That could ultimately be a bad thing if he wants to continue his career, or perhaps a year of rest will make him even better. Regardless, it doesn’t seem like a horrible idea for the Patriots to, at the very least, consider what he could bring to their cornerback room.

At this point in his career, he might not garner an overly expensive contract, and his connection with Gonzalez would make them quite an explosive duo on the field, even if it wasn’t on every snap.

It’s possible they will have the opportunity to explore bringing him back to Foxboro during free agency, and because he’s already stated he’d like to return, it might not be too difficult to get a deal done. It will mostly hinge on what they think he is still capable of and if Gilmore would be willing to possibly not be a starter, if the Patriots want to continue with Davis, which they haven’t suggested otherwise.

No matter what, it should be a conversation the front office has this offseason.