Christian Gonzalez has been nothing short of impressive in New England ever since he was drafted by the Patriots in 2023. And the 23-year-old cornerback is also showing signs of being grounded despite his success.
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Gonzalez spent two seasons with the Colorado Buffaloes (2020-21) before transferring to the University of Oregon, where he blossomed into a first-round talent. Now, after firmly establishing himself in the NFL and earning over $10 million, Gonzo is using his success to give back to the people who made it all possible: His family.
In July of 2024, Gonzalez surprised his family by gifting them a new house. It was a promise that he made to his parents when he started playing football at just 5 years old. Now, he has fulfilled that promise and then some. Gonzalez knows his journey wouldn’t have been possible without the love and support from his family, especially from his father, Hector, whose story continues to inspire him.
In many ways, Hector’s perseverance is what became the driving force behind Christian’s determination to make it in football. Gonzalez talked about this in a recent interview.
“It’s for sure my family. But, really, my dad, too,” Gonzalez said on the Closed Sundays podcast, when asked about what kept him going during the tougher moments of his journey.
Gonzo’s dad went through many hardships growing up. He migrated from Colombia to America and achieved success by holding a stable job and raising a family. Hector also played college basketball for UTEP from 1992 to 1994. His journey is what Gonzalez looked up to growing up, and it hits him even harder today.
“My dad, he’s from Colombia. Born and raised there. He didn’t come to America until he was like 18, 19. He played basketball… That he could leave his country and come to a country, he didn’t even speak English, he ain’t know nobody,” Gonzalez said.
It’s a risk that many immigrants take when they move to the U.S., leaving behind a life to pursue the American Dream. It takes a lot of courage to embark on such a journey, but the payoff can be priceless, like in Hector’s case. Little did he know that his son would one day be providing for him, playing in the NFL.
“He [Hector] done really went through some stuff. So, just being able to give back to him and my mom and my sisters. It’s just my fam, for real,” added Gonzo.
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The house Gonzalez gifted to his family last year is stunning. It features a brick facade, a backyard with a pool, and looks like the perfect home for a family. Equally stunning were the reactions on his mother’s and father’s faces when he showed them the house.
Gonzales also has three sisters, two older and one younger. His older sisters, Melissa and Samantha, were both college track and field athletes. Melissa competed in the 2020 Olympics and is now married to the journeyman backup QB, David Blough. His youngest sister, Lily, currently lives at home with the family.
What Gonzalez did this past year for his loved ones was special. It was something he’d always dreamed of doing, and he finally got to check it off his list.
But now, it’s all about building on his success in the NFL and earning a second contract. He’s already taken home $12 million in career earnings, which is probably more than his dad could’ve ever imagined as a young kid growing up in Colombia.
