"Excited about his efforts and willingness to get back and work hard and practice last week. And again, I made a decision at the end of the week that [he] just needed a little bit more time."
"That's what happens when you start this return to play. You practice and work hard and see how you respond and then make a decision if that player's ready for a football game," Vrabel added."
""We felt like he probably needed a little bit more time, and hopefully he'll be ready to go. Excited to see him and everybody else practice today."
""I never don't want to play," he told reporters. "That narrative that's out there, I don't know where people get it from. All I want to do is play football.""
"Originally a first-round pick (the final one made by Bill Belichick as Patriots head coach), Gonzalez quickly established himself as an impressive cornerback. In 2024, he was named a second-team All-Pro despite New England's wider struggles amid a 4-1"
Mike Vrabel signaled that Christian Gonzalez could be reintegrated into the Patriots' starting lineup versus the Panthers after missing the first three games with a lingering hamstring issue. Gonzalez practiced last week and underwent the team's return-to-play progression, but coaches extended his recovery by a few days to monitor his response. New England has allowed the fourth-most passing yards through three weeks without its top cornerback. Gonzalez denied any preference to remain sidelined and emphasized his desire to play. The 23-year-old former first-round pick earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2024 and remains a key defensive piece.
Read at Boston.com
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