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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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New England Patriots star cornerback Christian Gonzalez and wide receiver A.J. Brown got into it during Thursday's practice to the point where teammates had to separate them.
Tension built after Gonzalez shut down Brown on a red-zone rep and started talking trash. Brown initially walked off before being drawn back in. Receiver Kayshon Boutte stepped in to pull Brown away from the situation.
The rivalry reportedly kept simmering throughout practice. But afterwards, Gonzalez downplayed it, saying it was just two competitors pushing each other.
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"It's good on good," Gonzalez said. "He's a No. 1 receiver in this league going up against a No. 1 corner. That's how it's going to go. It's football at the end of the day. There's never no disrespect or anything. We're just battling to make each other better.
"He's going to face corners like that, that are going to yap at him and try to get in his head. And I'm going to face receivers like that, that are strong and are going to come right back at me," he added. "It's great work for the both of us."
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Brown was the Patriots' headline offseason acquisition. The Philadelphia Eagles traded him to New England at the start of June in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick. The move reunites Brown with former Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel and gives Patriots franchise quarterback Drake Maye a superstar, All-Pro receiver.
As for Gonzalez, he was the Patriots' first-round pick in 2023 and has developed into one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL over the past few seasons. He earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2024 after racking up 59 combined tackles, 11 pass deflections, two interceptions, a tackle for loss, and a quarterback hit, then landed his first Pro Bowl nod last season.
Gonzalez is also in the middle of contract negotiations with New England. The team has already exercised his fifth-year option, keeping him under contract through 2027, but he's pushing for a deal that pays him like one of the league's top corners.
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The Patriots head into 2026 looking to finish what they started a season ago. With Brown now in the fold and Gonzalez pushing him in practice, New England is hoping to take another step forward and establish itself as the league's best.
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