Christian Gonzalez update hints at availability for playoff game

New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez was a full participant at practice on Thursday, and he wasn't wearing the red non-contact jersey that he wore at Wednesday's practice.

That means Gonzalez has progressed even further through concussion protocol, and that increases his chances of playing in Sunday's divisional playoff game against the Houston Texans.

The Pro Bowl cornerback suffered a scare in last week's wild-card win over the Los Angeles Chargers. He was forced to leave the game early after Chargers receiver Quentin Johnston fell on his head during a play. After the game, Gonzalez wasn't available to answer questions, but he did tell reporters that he was "fine."

Gonzalez's availability would be huge for the Patriots in a game where the Texans aren't expected to have their star wide receiver, Nico Collins, on the field.

#Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez is wearing a regular practice jersey, not a non-contact jersey, as he heads out to practice.

So far, all signs seem to point to Gonzalez playing Sunday.— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) January 15, 2026

Gonzalez could be lining up against a Texans offense that was middle-of-the-road in the regular season. He could do some real damage on the defensive side of the ball when facing Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, who already looked shaky in the wild-card matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Christian Gonzalez update hints at availability for playoff game