J.C. Jackson, Stephon Gilmore Share A Moment Together After Pro Bowl
BOSTON (CBS) -- Stephon Gilmore is a two-time All-Pro who made a lot of money and played a lot of good football for the New England Patriots. J.C. Jackson was a first-time Second Team All-Pro last year, and he's now due to make a lot of money -- either in New England or elsewhere.
The two have been on similar paths in recent years, but they were opponents on Sunday for the Pro Bowl, with Gilmore representing the NFC for his half-season spent with the Panthers, and Jackson representing the AFC.
The two took a moment to take a photo together after the game, which the AFC won.
Stephon Gilmore/J.C. Jackson reunion. pic.twitter.com/uEA06B2pi0
— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) February 7, 2022
Jackson had an interception in the game, picking off Russell Wilson in the end zone. (It was not Wilson's most devastating end zone pick thrown to an undrafted Patriots cornerback, though.) He also had three "tackles" in a game that featured no real tackling.
Such a showing was to be expected from Jackson, who's intercepted 22 passes over the last three seasons for the Patriots, leading the league with 23 pass defenses last year.
After playing last year for a $3.384 million salary, Jackson is now set to hit unrestricted free agency -- provided the Patriots don't place the franchise tag on him.
He may be looking to follow in line with Gilmore's free agency back in 2017, when Gilmore signed a five-year, $65 million deal with the Patriots on the first day of free agency. He didn't end up playing the final year of that deal, but both he and the Patriots got tremendous value out of that deal.
What happens next for Jackson is yet to be seen. But he's no doubt called upon his former teammate for some advice leading up to this major career crossroads.