New England Patriots rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez got his “welcome-to-the-NFL” moment in last Thursday’s preseason opener, when he got trucked by Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins.
Patriots veterans have lightly teased Gonzalez about the play, which is the quintessential taste of life in the NFL.
The collision made Gonzalez go backwards and allowed the corner to get his feet wet early in terms of action. Patriots safety Adrian Phillips empathized with the rookie, as he told of a play he encountered early in his career as well.