Christian Gonzalez made up for early blunder with play that sent Patriots to Super Bowl 2026

DENVER — Christian Gonzalez giveth and he taketh away.

At the end of a snowy Sunday evening inside Empower Field at Mile High, the Pro Bowl cornerback sealed New England’s 10-7 win over the Broncos in the AFC Championship game to send the Patriots to Super Bowl 2026.

It was his interception of Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham with 2:11 remaining that sealed the victory.

Earlier in the game, Gonzalez gave the Broncos and Stidham, the Denver backup who hadn’t thrown an NFL pass since 2023, hope when he was beaten on a 52-yard pass play by Marvin Mims Jr.

That play led to Denver’s only touchdown of the game and gave it a 7-0 lead.

Gonzalez more than made up for that with a late interception as Denver was frantically trying to tie the game.

“Your best players have to make those types of plays in championship games,’’ Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said. “He’s been playing really, really good football, and sometimes you get beat. The best ones do.

“About six or eight weeks ago — I can’t remember when — I saw a different ‘Gonzo.’ Something just went off and it changed. I just noticed a different player and a different person. He’s so talented. He could certainly be elite.’’

He was when it counted most Sunday.

Incredibly, the pick was Gonzalez’s first of the season.

“That was his first interception?’’ Patriots safety Jaylinn Hawkins said in disbelief. “That’s hard to believe. It couldn’t come at a better time. Man, that’s a blessing. Christian’s been a baller. He’s been holding it down and been locking up.

“For him to come up big for us is amazing.’’

Gonzalez said he saw Mims running and Stidham put the ball up and “I went up and got it.’’

As for it being his first interception of the season, he said, “I don’t think it could have come at a better time.’’

Gonzalez called the 52-yard pass play in the first quarter, which gave the Broncos the ball at the New England 7-yard line, “just a miscommunication.’’

“But at the end of the day, that’s a play I should still make, a play I should not give up,’’ he said. “But, as a defensive back, you’ve got to have short-term memory. If the pick happened early in the game, I would have had to forget about that the same way as that catch happened in the early game. Forget about it.”

Asked if making the game-sealing interception felt any sweeter after having given up that long ball in the first quarter, Gonzalez said, “I honestly forgot about that catch — literally until a reporter brought it. That was way past my mind.’’

Said fellow New England cornerback Carlton Davis III: “As a corner, you’ve got to have a short memory. We all have complete faith in him. I’m so happy for him, because he caught the pick when we needed it the most.

“That was the most important play that he could have made for us, and he made it. That’s what really matters.’’