Cornerback Stephon Gilmore discusses a potential return to game action vs. Broncos

FOXBOROUGH — On Monday, cornerback Stephon Gilmore wouldn’t commit to returning to game action this week, but for the first time since he went down with a concussion earlier in the season, he sounded an optimistic note about his physical status.



Gilmore, who hasn’t been on the field since Oct. 5 because of a concussion, said Monday afternoon that he feels “good,” and explained that he’s putting his faith in the team doctors when it comes to a timetable for his return.

“I’m looking forward to it. Just trying to take it day-by-day,” he said quietly when asked about a possible return for Sunday’s game against the Broncos in Denver. “It’s a process. (Tuesday), I’ll go out there and practice and prepare the best (I) can to go out there and (help my team) get a win.

“We have great doctors. I just listen to them. I tell them how I feel, and (we) just go from there.”

Gilmore, who struggled for large portions of the first four games of the season, seemed to find his footing in the October win over Tampa Bay. He was asked if the concussion he suffered (he popped up on the injury report with the concussion the following Friday) stalled any potential momentum he could have built on following his solid performance against the Bucs.

“I feel like I got better and better every game, just like everybody in the league. I felt comfortable that game,” he said of the contest against Tampa, where he played mostly man coverage. “I just have to prepare like I’ve been doing. I feel good. Like I said, I just take it day-by-day and work on my craft. Work on everything I have to work on to play great.”

Gilmore wasn’t expansive when he talked about his ailments — at one point, he said he “didn’t want to talk about injuries the whole time because they told us not to talk about them” — but did open up when asked about his thoughts on the rest of the secondary over the last couple of weeks. That included youngster Johnson Bademosi, who took most of the snaps in Gilmore’s place.

“I think he did good. He made some plays. All the guys did good. Malcolm (Butler). (Jonathan) Jones. (Devin) McCourty. (Duron Harmon). They did good,” he said. “Those guys love to play the game and love to do whatever it takes to prepare to win. Day in and day out. it’s hard work. The coaches have a great game plan, and we go out there and try and execute. It’s fun playing with them.”