One of the New England Patriots’ best players departed their wild card game against the Los Angeles Chargers in the early fourth quarter. Pro Bowl cornerback Christian Gonzalez was shaken up after a pass
breakup and later left the field for the locker room.
After his departure, the Patriots announced that he was questionable to return with a head injury.
Gonzalez’s injury happened with 14:20 left in the game. Covering Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnson, the third-year defender dove for the football to knock it away, but was shaken up along the way. He stayed on for one snap — an incompletion on third down — before heading for the blue medical tent on the sidelines. After a brief stay in the tent, he headed back into the Gillette Stadium bowels for further examination.
A first-round draft pick by the Patriots in 2023, Gonzalez has been one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks since his rookie season. In 2025 so far, he started all 14 regular season games he appeared in and played 771 defensive snaps, fourth most on the team. He registered 69 tackles and broke up nine passes along the way.
Charles Woods took Gonzalez’s spot in the lineup.
