The New England Patriots have finalized a four-year, $135 million contract extension with cornerback Christian Gonzalez, making him the highest-paid player at his position in NFL history. The deal, which includes $102 million in guaranteed money, was agreed upon less than 48 hours before the Patriots' season opener against the Seattle Seahawks.
The contract surpasses the previous record for a cornerback, set just last month by Seattle's Devon Witherspoon with a four-year, $132 million deal. Gonzalez announced the agreement on Instagram, posting, "THANK YOU LORD! PATS NATION LETS GO!"
Gonzalez, the 17th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, has earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in each of his three seasons. He became eligible for an extension this offseason, but negotiations had extended throughout the summer, with Gonzalez expressing frustration over the lack of progress in recent weeks. Owner Robert Kraft had publicly stated in July his intention to make Gonzalez the league's highest-paid cornerback.
Gonzalez was playing under his rookie contract, which would have paid him a base salary of $2.25 million this season, with $18.1 million in the final year of 2027. He participated in training camp this year after sitting out most of the voluntary offseason program and minicamp. He missed two weeks in August due to a minor injury sustained while practicing against receiver A.J. Brown.
In his 34 regular-season games, Gonzalez has started every one. He also has four playoff starts. His rookie season was cut short by a dislocated right shoulder and torn labrum, causing him to miss the final 13 games. Last season, he was sidelined for the first three games recovering from a hamstring injury sustained during training camp.