Report: Patriots' Stephon Gilmore to Have Surgery on Quad Injury, Out for Season

New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore is done for the season after suffering a partially torn quad, per the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.  

Rapoport added that Gilmore will "have surgery to repair it tomorrow. He should be able to participate in a some portion of the offseason program. No structural damage to his knee." He also reported that "considering how it looked, the injury could have been much worse for Stephon Gilmore. His knees are fine, the quad should heal and he'll he back to 100 percent long before next season."

Gilmore suffered the injury during Sunday's loss to the Miami Dolphins, and he also missed time earlier in the season with a knee ailment. However, he has been durable for much of his career, and he played in all 16 games during the 2018 and 2019 campaigns.

He had never played fewer than 11 games in a year entering the 2020 season.

When healthy, Gilmore is one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL. The three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro won the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year award and a Super Bowl during the 2018 campaign.

While New England cannot reasonably expect someone else to replicate what Gilmore does, it will likely turn toward the combination of Jason McCourty, Jonathan Jones and J.C. Jackson at cornerback for the final two games of the regular season.