Christian Gonzalez says Mike Vrabel is helping him become more of a team leader

Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez is hoping to sign a long-term contract extension with New England this offseason. One indication that the Patriots are also eager to get that done is that head coach Mike Vrabel is increasingly positioning Gonzalez as a team leader.

Gonzalez was chosen to be one of the Patriots’ game captains for Super Bowl LX, and afterward he said Vrabel has been working with him on taking a bigger leadership role on the team.

“Been trying to find my voice, my leadership,” Gonzalez said, via Mike Reiss of ESPN. “Everyone knows I’m not much of a gather the team up and give them a speech [type of leader]. Vrabes has been helping me with that, talking with me about it. Trying to grow.”

Gonzalez is only 23 years old, so he’s not exactly a seasoned veteran just yet, but he has now played three years of the rookie contract he signed as a 2023 first-round draft pick, which means he’s eligible for his second contract. Given how well Gonzalez has played, it’s safe to say that second contract will be a big one.