FOXBOROUGH - Christian Gonzalez stood in front of his locker on Wednesday, smiling at the large throng of reporters in front of him. That look is not uncommon for the Patriots' cornerback. For lack of a better term, that's his resting face.
Yet smiling became a thing on local radio last week after the third-year pro conducted an interview with 'Good Morning Football.' How can one smile when you aren't (and still haven't) played? Never mind that Gonzalez was on the air for Latino Heritage Month.
"I never don't want to play," he told reporters on Wednesday. "That narrative that's out there, I don't know where people get it from. All I want to do is play football."
Despite addressing that 'narrative', Gonzalez insisted it did not bother him.
“It’s from a lot of people that have never set foot on a football field,” he said. “So it didn’t disappoint me too much.”
After injuring his hamstring on July 28th, initial reports suggested a return for Week 1 was in the cards. That's not how this has played out. Gonzalez didn't return to the practice field until last Wednesday, and after being a limited participant, was ruled out by Mike Vrabel the day before the loss to Pittsburgh.
“I made a decision at the end of the week that he just needed a little bit more time," the head coach said. “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.
"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 was upset," Gonzalez said when asked how he responded to that news. "But, I mean, sometimes you gotta look at yourself and make sure you're all the way ready. Hamstrings are a tough injury. It's a tough spot."
The Patriots have been cautious with several players throughout the spring and summer, managing workloads for the likes of Christian Barmore, Morgan Moses, and Carlton Davis. Considering Gonzalez hadn't practiced for nearly two months, the notion of him playing just a few days after his return was foolhardy. But this week, Vrabel is hopeful he can get his All-Pro caliber corner back on the field, and Gonzalez is in that same boat.
"I hit on it last week. This is what I do. I love football. It's been hard being out. It's been hard just watching," he said. "But I'm excited to get back at it this week."
In his absence, the Pats' pass defense has been spotty at best, and the nerd numbers back that up. They rank 28th in EPA (Expected Points Added), 29th in DVOA, and are scraping the bottom of the barrel in Pro Football Focus' coverage stats.