Patriots fans will have to wait until at least Week 4 to see their All-Pro cornerback on the field for the first time in 2025.
Christian Gonzalez had been sidelined from practice since July 28, when he suffered a hamstring injury during the first padded session of training camp, before finally returning to action this past Wednesday (9/17). Head Coach Mike Vrabel initially expressed optimism about Gonzalez playing against Pittsburgh this Sunday, but as of this afternoon, he has officially been ruled out.
New England’s defense has struggled to open the season, ranking 26th in total yards allowed (373.5 ypg) and 19th in scoring defense (23.5 ppg). The secondary has been the biggest concern.
| Patriots | League Rank | |
| Opponent PPG | 23.5 | #19 |
| Opponent Total YPG | 373.5 | #26 |
| Opponent Yards Per Play | 6.6 | #31 |
| Opponent Passing YPG | 315.0 | #32 |
| Opponent Yards Per Pass | 10.3 | #32 |
| Opponent Passing 1st Down % | 86.49% | #32 |
Carlton Davis, Jaylinn Hawkins, Kyle Dugger, Craig Woodson, Marcus Jones, and Alex Austin have carried the load, but none owns a PFF grade above 64. Davis leads the group at 63.8, which still ranks just 37th among cornerbacks league-wide.
That doesn’t bode well against a Pittsburgh offense ranked 10th in scoring and led by veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who is more than capable of exploiting a shaky secondary. Getting Gonzalez back in Week 4 could be crucial, easing him in against a struggling Carolina team before a critical matchup in Buffalo against the powerhouse Bills.