Former University of South Carolina standout and NFL All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore had one more goal to check off his list, and at age 35, he did it with the same determination that defined his football career.
Gilmore, who left South Carolina early to pursue his professional football dream, walked across the stage at the university’s December graduation ceremony after completing his bachelor’s degree in liberal studies through the school’s Degree Completion Program and Palmetto College.
The program is designed to help former student-athletes return to finish what they started academically, often through online coursework and access to academic support services.
“It was very important to me to go back and have my kids see me graduate,” Gilmore said, according to Gamecocksonline, reflecting on a milestone many athletes leave unfinished when their professional opportunities arise. “I left school early (for the NFL), and I always wanted to go back. … I was successful in my football career, but I am happy that I was also successful in the classroom and able to get that degree. That’s something no one can take from you.”
Gilmore’s collegiate resume already carried weight: he earned Freshman All-American honors in 2009, First-Team All-SEC and Third-Team All-American recognition in 2010, and was a key contributor to South Carolina’s first SEC Championship Game appearance and its first 11-win season in 2011.
Following his standout college career, Gilmore was selected 10th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. He went on to play 13 seasons in the league, including multiple Pro Bowl appearances and a Defensive Player of the Year award in 2019, and won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots.
At Monday’s commencement, he was one of 31 student-athletes, past and present, to receive degrees, joining teammates and fellow Gamecocks in celebrating an academic milestone alongside athletic achievement.
Gilmore credited academic support staff for helping make the transition back to student life easier, especially with the flexibility of online classes.
Despite the long gap between football film study and formal academics, he described the experience as “worth it” and encouraged other athletes who left school early to consider returning.
“If you’re a former athlete and thinking about going back, you should definitely go get it,” he said, noting that a degree opens doors for post-football opportunities like coaching and scouting.
Now a proud member of the University of South Carolina alumni family, Gilmore celebrated not just a diploma, but a full-circle moment.
