Patriots' Christian Gonzalez a finalist for NFL Comeback Player of the Year
FOXBORO -- New England Patriots star cornerback Christian Gonzalez has been nominated for the AP's Comeback Player of the Year award.
Gonzalez was one of five finalists announced on Thursday, along with Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins, and Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin.
Christian Gonalez's comeback season in 2024
The Patriots drafted Gonzalez in the first round of the NFL Draft in 2023 and he got off to a strong start to his NFL career. But his rookie campaign came to an end after four games when Gonzalez suffered a torn labrum in a Week 4 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
But Gonzalez was back as the team's No. 1 cornerback in 2024 and had a stellar season as he shut down top receivers like Cincinnati's Ja'Marr Chase, Miami's Tyreek Hill, New York's Garrett Wilson, and Arizona rookie Marvin Harrison Jr., among a slew of others. His Week 15 matchup with Harrison Jr. was one of his most impressive efforts, as Gonzalez held the fourth overall pick in 2024 to just two receptions for 32 yards on six targets while knocking away three passes.
Gonzalez had just two interceptions, but that was because quarterbacks rarely threw his way in 2024. He had 11 passes defended and 59 tackles to go with a touchdown off a fumble return over his 16 games, which earned him second-team All Pro honors at the end of the season.
The 22-year-old held opposing quarterbacks to a 70.5 passer rating, which was seventh-best in the NFL. Gonzalez had an incredible bounce back season for New England after his rookie campaign was cut short, and cemented himself as a cornerstone player on the Patriots defense.
NFL Comeback Player of the Year
Gonzalez will find out if he earned this year's Comeback Player of the Year award when it is announced on Thursday, Feb. 6 at the NFL Honors in Las Vegas ahead of Super Bowl LIX.
He's got an uphill battle though, as all six of the previous winners -- Joe Flacco, Geno Smith, Joe Burrow, Alex Smith, Ryan Tannehill, and Andrew Luck -- were quarterbacks. No cornerback has ever won the award, though Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry brought home the hardware in 2014.
Three Patriots have won AP Comeback Player of the Year: Quarterback Babe Parilli in 1966, linebacker Tedy Bruschi in 2005 after he came back from a stroke, and Tom Brady in 2009 after he returned from the season-ending knee injury that knocked him out of the 2008 season in Week 1.
