Christian Gonzalez and the New England Patriots are less than a week from the start of the 2026 NFL regular season. Mike Vrabel led New England to a 14-3 record along with a 2026 NFL Super Bowl appearance in his first year as head coach.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye had a strong season under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, throwing for 4,394 passing yards on a 72.0% completion percentage to go along with 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions. On the defensive side of the ball, Gonzalez has already gained a reputation as one of the league’s best defensive backs, receiving All-Pro honors in 2024.
Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
On Tuesday, the 2025 Pro Bowler received positive news when it was revealed that the Patriots have rewarded him with a four-year, $135 million contract, making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.
That same day, the Texas native took to social media to celebrate the announcement. On his Instagram story, the 24-year-old posted an image of his signing from the Instagram page of influencer Jordan Schultz. Gonzalez thanked the Lord in the top part of the caption and then rallied the Patriots fan base in the lower half of the page.
“THANK YOU LORD! 🙏🏿,” wrote Gonzalez. “PATS NATION LET’S GO! ❤️💙”
The 6-foot-2 cornerback finished the 2025 season with 69 total tackles along with 10 pass deflections. For his career, the No. 17 overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft has 145 total tackles, one sack and three interceptions in 34 games.
New England will open the 2026 NFL regular season on the road at Lumen Field to face the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 8:20 p.m. ET.
