Patriots rookie Christian Gonzalez ruled out with injury vs Cowboys

Already down a couple of members of their secondary, the New England Patriots suffered another major loss on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. Down 28-3, the Patriots announced that rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez is out for the remainder of the game after suffering a shoulder injury. Veteran starting cornerback Jonathan Jones was ruled out on the inactives report before the game.

The first-year out of Oregon earned the league’s defensive Rookie of the Month award after notching his first career sack and first career interception in September. He had 16 tackles through three games and he added one more before exiting the Week 4 matchup early.

The Patriots selected Gonzalez with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft in April.

Gonzalez spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career with the Colorado Buffaloes, amassing 78 total tackles and ten pass deflections over his time in Boulder. However, he truly broke out in 2022, during his lone season with the Ducks.

At Oregon, Gonzalez elevated his game, accumulating 51 total tackles, seven pass deflections and four interceptions in 2022.

Cowboys honor Patriots RB Ezekiel Elliott

The Dallas Cowboys honored former first-round selection Ezekiel Elliott on Sunday ahead of the matchup against the New England Patriots. Jerry Jones’ squad played a video tribute with some of the former Buckeye’s best highlights, including his infamous Salvation Army kettle jumps.

Elliott rushed for 8,262 yards in seven seasons with Dallas, exceeding the 1,000-yard mark four times. He was responsible for 80 total touchdowns, 68 coming on the ground. The running back was also a three-time Pro Bowl selection while with the Cowboys.

The Cowboys released Elliott on March 15, opting not to pay the remainder of the six-year, $90 million extension he signed in 2019. Elliott, 28, was set to count $16.7 million against the salary cap in 2023 had Dallas retained him.

He remained a free agent for five months before the Patriots signed him on Aug. 16. Between March and August, Jones considered adding him back to the roster. Alas, the former Buckeye went with a one-year deal for $3 million to New England instead.

“I wanted the best for him but also the best for the Cowboys,” Jones said of his business decision. “I was kind of laying in the weeds, thinking that maybe it wouldn’t go well for him with another team and we would get to do something but I knew that wouldn’t be the case when Bill Belichick called and asked all the right questions.”