Patriots’ Christian Gonzalez is out with a head injury following Drake Maye’s injury scare

Injury problems hit the New England Patriots hard in Week 17. Just minutes after Drake Maye left the game with a head injury, top cornerback Christian Gonzalez also left the medical tent to be examined.

Gonzalez and Maye both left the game in the second quarter. While Maye quickly returned to the field, Gonzalez was considered questionable on several possessions before being officially ruled out just before halftime. The speed of his official decision suggests a concussion.

As the Patriots’ top cornerback, Gonzalez spent most of his limited time shadowing Los Angeles Chargers receiver Joshua Palmer. He recorded a tackle before leaving the field.

With Gonzalez out for the remainder of the game, backups Marcellas Dial Jr. and Alex Austin will take on more responsibility. Nickelback Dell Pettus will also be asked to spend more time on the outside, unlike Jonathan Jones.

New England entered the game undermanned on defense anyway, missing safety Jabrill Peppers and cornerback Marcus Jones. Shortly after Gonzalez’s exit, the Chargers scored to extend their lead to 17-0. With only one game remaining in the regular season and the Patriots eliminated from the postseason, there is a strong possibility that Gonzalez’s season will be over in 2024.

Entering Week 17, Gonzalez leads the team with 11 pass breakups and two interceptions. His PFF player rating of 75.7 is the 18th best of all cornerbacks in the NFL. He was also fifth on the team with 58 total tackles on the year.

The Patriots are limping to the finish line in 2024

It’s no secret that Jerod Mayo’s first season as head coach didn’t go as planned, but the Patriots have a lot to build on going forward. With young core pieces like Maye, Gonzalez and Ja’Lynn Polk, New England is already looking ahead to 2025.

But before that can officially happen, the team is limping towards the finish line in 2024. Injuries to Maye and Gonzalez during the game only add to their growing list of health concerns. The Patriots entered Week 17 without most of their traditional offensive line and were missing key blockers Chukwuma Okorafor, David Andrews and Ben Brown.

Defensively, New England will also be without star defensive tackle Christian Barmore, edge rusher Oshane Ximines and top linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley this season. Marcus Jones is on injured reserve and is out for the season.