New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots are riding into Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season with momentum on their side. After beating the Miami Dolphins in Week 2, one of their top players, Christian Gonzalez, took a big step towards making a return to the field for the Pats.
Gonzalez hasn’t been practicing for New England since late July, as he suffered a hamstring injury during training camp. That led to him missing the first two games of the season, and the Patriots’ pass defense has struggled as a result.
On Wednesday, Gonzalez ended up returning to practice for the first time in nearly two months, indicating that he is making progress with his injury rehab. He may not play in Week 3, but he is finally trending in the right direction.
Everyone knows how important Gonzalez is to New England’s secondary, including the team’s own players. In the wake of the big update on Gonzalez’s status, safety Jaylinn Hawkins could not stop saying how “excited” he was to see his teammate on the field.
“It’s very exciting. We all know Gonzo is shutdown, a playmaker,” Hawkins said, per Mark Daniels of MassLive. “He’s another playmaker on the team. It’s hella exciting. I know he’s really excited to be back. Nobody wants to miss games or be hurt or be injured. I’m excited, man. My dog’s back. We’re going to go out there and rock out.”
In 2024, Gonzalez solidified himself as one of the top cornerbacks in the league, earning All-Pro Second Team honors for the Pats. Without him, New England’s pass defense has struggled, as both Geno Smith and Tua Tagovailoa have thrown for over 300 yards against them to open the season.
Gonzalez alone can’t cover everyone, but his presence would go a long way to helping the Patriots’ struggling pass defense. Gonzalez’s status will be worth monitoring as practice over the next two days, as that will provide an indication of whether or not he’s got a shot of suiting up against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
