The New England Patriots offense has garnered most of the praise this season throughout their remarkable turnaround from the depths of the NFL. What has gone without less praise has been the defense, which has benefitted from plenty of turnover as Mike Vrabel stuck his head out for some key distressed assets.
But the Patriots biggest impact player on the defensive side of the ball isn’t one of those newly signed players: it’s their third-year, former first-round pick cornerback Christian Gonzalez. He’s part of a small crop of homegrown talent on the Patriots roster, and has established himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL through his three seasons in the league.
Gonzalez’s main shortcoming through his three years in the league has been his health, and it is once again a factor as New England prepares to welcome the Houston Texans to Foxborough in the Divisional round.
Gonzalez Expected to Practice Wednesday Despite Injury
Gonzalez exited Sunday’s Wild Card game against the Los Angeles Chargers early in the fourth quarter with an apparent concussion. He didn’t return to play, and has since been placed in the NFL’s concussion protocol.
Vrabel gave a massive update on Wednesday on his status however, saying that he expects Gonzalez to practice on Wednesday, five days ahead of the Pats showdown against the Texans.
Vrabel: “I do anticipate him being out there.”
This update is hugely important because, if true, it means Gonzalez is already onto phase three of the five phase NFL concussion protocol, which is football-specific exercise. If he’s progressed well enough already, he could even be in phase four, which is non-contact training drills.
Another key factor when assessing head injuries is injury history. Gonzalez has only suffered one other concussion in his collegiate and NFL career, back in 2024. This limited history may mean that the team can be a little bit more liberal when it comes to clearing him to play.
Of course, Gonzalez has to be cleared by the Patriots’ team doctor, but if he’s already practicing, signs are pointing upwards for the young phenom to be ready to go for Sunday.
Gonzalez’s Foe Also In Concussion Protocol
The Houston Texans are also dealing with a concussion to one of their star players. Nico Collins, who would most likely be Gonzalez’s matchup on Sunday if both are healthy, suffered a concussion against Pittsburgh on Monday night.
Collins’ concussion looked more severe right off the bat. Where Gonzalez played one more snap in discomfort, Collins smacked his head on the turf and was in immediate pain.
He immediately reached for his head. This doesn’t look good at all.
Prayers Up he has headed to the tent.
Collins status for Sunday is officially questionable as of Wednesday, Jan 14., though signs seem to be trending towards him missing the game.
Collins is C.J. Stroud’s No. 1 target, and his absence would certainly be a massive loss for the Texans. If neither Gonzalez or Collins play Sunday, it’s effectively a wash, but if Collins can’t go and Gonzalez can, New England gains a massive upper hand defensively.
Gonzalez would likely shift to covering Christian Kirk, who exploded for eight catches and 144 yards in the Texans win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Patriots Get Massive Update On Key Defensive Starter Ahead Of Texans Game