New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez has already experienced a whirlwind of change in his young NFL career.
After playing his rookie season under legendary coach Bill Belichick, he spent his second year with Jerod Mayo at the helm.
Now, as he heads into his third season, he’ll take the field under newly appointed head coach Mike Vrabel.
Vrabel, the former Patriots great, takes over after Mayo’s disastrous 2024 season.
With so much turnover in Foxborough, Gonzalez has noticed a shift in the team’s culture.
Appearing on PFT Live with Mike Florio and Chris Simms, Gonzalez acknowledged that the Patriots’ atmosphere felt enormously different in 2024 compared to his rookie season.
“I would say the building got a little more lax,” Gonzalez said of the Belichick-to-Mayo change. “I mean, that might have hurt us. I would probably say it got a little more lax.”
The young cornerback’s first season was cut short by injury after just four games due to a torn labrum and dislocated shoulder.
Despite that setback, he bounced back in 2024 with an outstanding campaign, earning second-team All-Pro honors.
However, his personal success didn’t translate into team wins.
The Patriots finished with a 4-13 record for the second straight year, showing little improvement despite the coaching change.
Although New England endured another difficult season, Gonzalez focused on the positives.
“It was tough [this season], but honestly I was looking more of it as just going out there and having fun,” Gonzalez said.
“I got hurt my rookie year, and just playing the whole year was great for me and having fun.
“Obviously, you want to win. That’s the main goal. But we were in a lot of close games. I think we had seven one-score games. So, we’re not far off.”
The Patriots’ struggles weren’t necessarily about getting blown out – they simply failed to close out tight games.
That’s a problem the franchise hopes Vrabel, a former Patriots linebacker and a member of the team’s Hall of Fame, can fix.
Gonzalez has yet to meet Vrabel in person, but he already has an idea of what to expect from the new coach.
“I know he’s a Patriot, in the Patriot Hall of Fame. They talk good about him,” Gonzalez said. “I’ve heard it’s going back to what they call the ‘Patriot Way.’ For sure, I’m ready.”
With a fresh start under Vrabel, New England will look to reclaim its identity and rebuild a no-nonsense culture of toughness.
As Gonzalez said, you can expect things to get back to the old “Patriot Way” in New England – and that’s a good thing.
What are your thoughts on Gonzalez’s comments?
Do you think the Vrabel-Maye duo will end up winning more Super Bowls than Brady-Belichick??? (JK, come on!)
