The Patriots have had a rough 2024 season, and there is plenty to criticize them for, especially the coaching staff and the roster. But a few players have stood out for positive reasons and have become the shining light of the team's future.
The offense's silver lining continues to be rookie quarterback Drake Maye. He brought optimism from the second he was drafted in 2024, which became even more so once he was made the starting quarterback in Week 6. Despite the losses, Maye has proven he can be the franchise quarterback the Patriots have been looking for, becoming one of the biggest wins of a season that has otherwise been disappointing.
Defensively, the player who has drawn the same type of reaction has been cornerback Christian Gonzalez. The 2023 first-round draft pick looked impressive as a rookie but had his season cut prematurely due to an injury suffered against the Cowboys. There were concerns about how he would bounce back this year because of his inexperience in the NFL and the new coaching staff, but he has been far and wide, the best player on the defense each and every game.
Opponents have shown they fear going against Gonzalez while also complimenting him for his competitive nature and lockdown performances. He has only been targeted 70 times by opposing quarterbacks this year, allowing just 31 catches for 376 yards and zero touchdowns. On top of that, he adds two interceptions, seven pass breakups, a defensive touchdown and a fumble recovery.
Despite that, he was not chosen for the Pro Bowl this year.
Christian Gonzalez is one of the biggest Pro Bowl snubs of the 2024 season
The list of Pro Bowlers was announced on Thursday morning, and surprisingly, yet not because he's a Patriot, Gonzalez was not chosen among cornerbacks.
It didn't take long for him to respond on social media, fittingly keeping it simple by only posting an emoji to describe his feelings on the matter.
😂
— Gonzo (@chrisgonzo28) January 2, 2025
It's how most Patriots fans feel about the snub, but it also doesn't show just how frustrating it is that a player putting together one of the better seasons at the position is not being recognized as such. He's just the latest snub that has people questioning the validity of the Pro Bowl voting process and how it has become more of a popularity contest than actually recognizing the best talent in the league that year.
Gonzalez might only be in his second year, so there's plenty of time for him to rack up Pro Bowl nods in the seasons ahead. But not acknowledging the kind of season he has put together doesn't make much sense, and it reeks of fans not wanting to credit a Patriots player for being a great performer.