Christian Gonzalez needs to ‘attack rehab like it’s football,’ advises Patriots veteran Jonathan Jones

The first-round rookie is expected to miss the rest of the season with a torn labrum.

After suffering a shoulder injury in Week 4, Christian Gonzalez’s once-promising rookie season is likely over. Now, the focus for the New England Patriots’ first-round draft choice shifts toward recovery and a comeback in 2024.

In order to make it a successful one, and allow him to pick up where he left off, Patriots veteran Jonathan Jones says Gonzalez needs to be purposeful in his approach. That, and remain in close contact with the team throughout.

“Just stick stick around and recover. Just attack rehab,” Jones said on Thursday when asked what kind of advice he’d give his young teammate. “Attack it like it’s football, like it’s practice. Just know that he’s young in his career and he’ll bounce back.”

Gonzalez started his first NFL campaign on a high note. The 17th overall selection in this year’s draft played like a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate through the first three games, despite matching up against some of the league’s top wide receivers — a group of players including A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Tyreek Hill and Garrett Wilson.

The 21-year-old continued getting CB1 snaps in Week 4 against the Dallas Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb, but hurt his shoulder on a run tackle in the first quarter. He was unable to finish the game, and eventually diagnosed with a torn labrum in his right shoulder.

For Jones, this is a familiar situation. The veteran suffered two season-ending injuries in his career: he hurt his ankle during the 2017 playoffs — an injury that contributed to the Patriots’ defensive struggles in Super Bowl LII — and later missed most of 2021 due to a shoulder ailment.

Jones successfully returned from those injuries each time, and with the knowledge of what it takes to do so. Part of it is making sure you stay prepared for the upcoming season.

“For a younger guy, just to kind of hear those coaching points. So that next year, when it comes up, you’ve heard it before,” he said. “That’s always your goal as a player: recurring things. ‘I’ve heard this twice. I’ve heard this three times.’ It sticks with you a little bit more. So, just kind of being around and catching those coaching points.”

Gonzalez is not the first high-profile injury suffered by the Patriots defense this season. Fellow cornerbacks Jack Jones and Marcus Jones are currently on injured reserve as well, although the expectation is that both will return later this season. Jonathan Jones himself, meanwhile, also missed three games with an ankle injury.

In addition, star edge defender Matthew Judon recently underwent biceps surgery. He has not been sent to IR just yet, but the move is expected to happen even though he might be ready to return as early as December.