Despite the New England Patriots' struggling season, there have been a few positives. And one of them has been second-year cornerback Christian Gonzalez. 

So far this season, he has 59 total tackles, one fumble recover, and two interceptions, along with 11 passes defended. 

But all of his efforts don't always show up on the stats sheet. 

Gonzalez has been a true force this season, considering each week he has been tasked with defending some of the top receivers in the league. And he has completely contained them in key moments. 

NFL defenders with 10+ deep targets, 1 or fewer deep receptions allowed, and no deep touchdowns allowed:

1. Christian Gonzalez (15 targets)

That's the list.

— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) January 2, 2025

So his reaction to being snubbed from the Pro Bowl was simple but perfect. 

"😂," Gonzalez wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

?

— Gonzo (@chrisgonzo28) January 2, 2025

Instead, special teamer Brenden Schooler was the only New England player selected this year. 

Last week, A to Z Sports spoke with Gonzalez about this honor and what it would mean to him. 

"I mean, Pro Bowl is more just like a cool, little fun extra thing. The thing I really want is All Pro," he explained. "You can't really vote for that."

And what is about his play that makes him deserving? 

"Just week in, week out traveling. There's not a lot of corners that travels," he stated. "Trying to do my best every week."

When he mentions traveling, he means the way the coaching staff has put him in all different areas of the field depending on who he is covering. And he has stepped up to the plate every time with no complaints. 

Instead, it's something that he actually enjoys. 

"It's fun, for sure. It switches it up and it only gets me better because I'm playing different spots, seeing the best receivers," he said. "So that competition just only can help my game grow."

However, while he does want these honors, he proved that his mind is always focused on team first. 

"You think about those honors, but that's not the top of your mindset. You want to go out there, win, do what you can for the team. And then if you get the honors, you get the honors. If you don't, you don't," he added. "So it's just something that you can strive for. But it's not the end all be all goal."