When the 2025 Pro Bowl teams were announced, Christian Gonzalez was left off of the team after a banner season for the New England Patriots as a cornerback with exceptional statistical output and great tape. The oversight felt pretty egregious given how well Gonzalez had been playing, especially considering most people feel he was snubbed last season. On Jan. 10, Gonzalez received news that would make that heartbreak a distant memory.
It was announced that Christian Gonzalez was named to the AP Second-Team All-Pro. In just his second season, Gonzalez has achieved one of the highest honors in the sport and will forever hold the title of NFL All-Pro. The disappointment from the Pro Bowl was real, but the talented defensive back had previously spoken about what his major goals for this season were individually.
"I know I had a Pro Bowl season. A lot of people know I had a Pro Bowl season. But it's hard to get it when you're not out there winning games. So first, you have to win games and everything else will come. All-Pro comes out and we'll see what that is. That's more my real goal….that's what I really want," Gonzalez said to Patriots reporters.
Mission accomplished for Gonzalez. The second-year cornerback who was a first-round draft pick from the Oregon Ducks in 2023 quickly made a name for himself for his ability to excel in man coverage and his overall fluidity. Gonzalez was the last first-round pick of the Bill Belichick era in New England and there was a consensus that it was a shock a player with Gonzalez’s athletic profile, production, and game film fell all the way to pick 17 in the NFL draft.
Per Pro Football Focus, Gonzalez was the highest-graded player on the Patriots this season with a 76.0 rating. Gonzalez was one of the best outside cornerbacks in the league and the numbers back it up just as well as the eye test. On 70 targets Gonzalez only allowed 31 completions, a 44% completion rate, 376 total yards, and 23.5 yards per game. He also tallied two interceptions, seven pass breakups, one fumble recovery, and one defensive touchdown.
At just 22 years old, the football world is Gonzalez’s oyster. This could be the beginning of a run that ends with a gold jacket in the future. The Patriots are set to hire a new head coach for next season, and whoever takes the job will rest a bit easier knowing Gonzalez is a cornerstone on the roster for the future.
