Bill Belichick Will Love Christian Gonzalez’s Reaction To First Sack

The Patriots don’t believe in moral victories, but there certainly were some bright spots in New England’s season-opening loss Sunday evening at Gillette Stadium.

One of them was Christian Gonzalez, who played well in his first NFL regular-season game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Gonzalez’s premier Week 1 highlight was a crucial pass breakup on a fourth-and-2 with a shade under two minutes to play, but the rookie cornerback also logged his first professional sack earlier in the fourth quarter.

New England sent Gonzalez on a cornerback blitz — no small feat for a first-year player in a high-pressure situation. And the 21-year-old did his job, bringing down the ever-elusive Jalen Hurts for an 8-yard loss.

It was somewhat of a “Welcome to the NFL” moment for the 2023 No. 17 overall pick, but Gonzalez wasn’t looking for any sort of praise after the game. Instead, he leaned on a Patriots principle.

“I mean it was cool, but I was never out there for a ‘me’ moment,” Gonzalez told reporters, per a team-provided transcript. “It’s kind of a team. We’re a team, so you know we never want to take one play and celebrate as ‘you.’ There’s a whole scheme that went into it and a defense that led to me being able to get that play.”

While Gonzalez wasn’t looking for any recognition following his impressive debut, he nonetheless received some from defensive leader Matthew Judon. Fellow veteran Jabrill Peppers, meanwhile, seemingly wasn’t surprised the Oregon product rose to the occasion against the reigning NFC champions.

Gonzalez now must gear up for another tough matchup against a team loaded with offensive talent. The Patriots secondary will have its hands full Sunday night when the high-flying Miami Dolphins roll into Foxboro, Mass.