FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez was named the Defensive Rookie of the Month for September by the National Football League. Gonzalez is the fifth Patriots player to win a rookie of the month honor and the third defensive player to earn the award. Gonzalez joins QB Mac Jones (November 2021), DE Chandler Jones (September 2012), LB Jerod Mayo (October 2008) and WR Deion Branch (September 2002).Â
Gonzalez has started in the first three games of the season and has 16 total tackles, one sack, one interception and three passes defensed. In the season opener vs. Philadelphia, he sacked QB Jalen Hurts for an 8-yard loss in the fourth quarter for his first career NFL sack. Gonzalez recorded his first NFL interception in the fourth quarter in Week 2 against Miami when he picked off a deep pass by Miami QB Tua Tagovailoa intended for Tyreek Hill. He is the only rookie with a pass defensed in each of the first three weeks of the season. Gonzalez was drafted by New England in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft with the 17th overall pick out of Oregon.
