Jun 10, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (0) jogs to the sideline during minicamp held in the WIN Field House at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Patriots CB Makes Post-Injury Goals Clear

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Jennifer Streeter | Last updated Sep 30, 2025 11:00 AM ET

After sitting out the very first three games due to a lingering hamstring injury, cornerback Christian Gonzalez finally saw his season debut against the Carolina Panthers.

Gonzalez was thrown right into the fire of Sunday’s eventual 42-13 win, logging 49 total snaps on defense while getting tasked with defending Carolina’s 2025 first-round pick, wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. But the public has since learned that this is exactly what Gonzalez wanted.

At the post game press conference, the corner said playing football is all he wants for his future.

"It was great to get out there," Gonzalez said postgame. "All I do and want to do is play football so it was fun to finally get out there. [To] get out there in a home game and the crowd was rocking, and being out there with the guys was a lot of fun."

“All I do & want to do is play football.” @chrisgonzo28 pic.twitter.com/LJw9lxobh0
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 28, 2025

Fresh off of earning an All-Pro nod in his second full season with the Patriots, the 23 year old and the Patriots as a whole limited McMillan to four catches on eight targets (68 yards) in Week 4's game.

Gonzalez's previously mentioned hamstring injury was suffered in late July; it was originally projected to be minor but he then missed the remainder of training camp and the first few games of the year.

Gonzalez additionally told the media that getting back out on the field was essentially like picking up riding a bike again.

“Anything can be a little challenging, not playing for a long time,” Gonzalez also said. “But at the end of the day, I have done this since I was 5 years old. So, kind of, my mindset going into the game was not really thinking about how long it has been and that — it’s another football game. Go out there and be my 5-year-old self, and go out there and have fun, have that joy of just being back on the field.”

The win against the Panthers — which also marked new head coach Mike Vrabel's first home win with the Pats — moves the Patriots to 2-2. It also moves Gonzalez firmly back into the role of one of the best defenders in the league; he stands as a reliable presence on the Patriots’ back line.

Gonzalez is eligible for a contract extension this offseason. He now has 79 total tackles and one sack in addition to three interceptions on his career so far.

This article first appeared on New England Patriots on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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