Patriots’ Brenden Schooler, Christian Gonzalez earn first career AP All-Pro selections

New England finished 2024 with first-team and second-team All-Pros.

Two New England Patriots finished 2024 with Associated Press honors.

Brenden Schooler has been named a first-team All-Pro on special teams, the AP announced Friday, while Christian Gonzalez has been named a second-team All-Pro at cornerback.

It marks the first career selections for both.

Schooler, 27, received a total of 60 votes. The Pro Bowler and back-to-back NFLPA All-Pro led New England’s kicking game with 86.5 percent of the snaps played by campaign’s end. He finished with nine tackles, which led the special teams for the third consecutive year. Along the way arrived 50 downs on defense and a pair of sacks against quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Tua Tagovailoa.

Landing with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2022, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound safety by way of Oregon, Arizona and Texas stands 50 games into his NFL tenure. Schooler has handled 1,115 snaps in the kicking game on the way to 36 tackles, four fumble recoveries, one blocked field goal and one blocked punt. A three-year, $9 million contract extension was signed October.

Gonzalez, 22, garnered 32 votes. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound corner closed out his sophomore season ranked atop New England’s defense with 978 snaps played despite being ruled out for the finale due to a concussion. Starting 16 games, Gonzalez totaled 59 tackles, 11 passes defended as well as two interceptions. And from 63 yards out, he also returned a fumble recovery for his first career touchdown.

The No. 17 overall pick in the 2023 draft class, Gonzalez began his stay with NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month honors before seeing last year end on injured reserve due to a torn labrum. By then, the former transfer from Colorado to Oregon stood with his first sack and first interception. His coverage returned with a completion rate of 54.8 percent in 2024, per the charting of Pro Football Focus, with 499 yards and a pair of touchdowns allowed to receivers.

On special teams, Schooler eclipsed second-team All-Pro J.T. Gray of the New Orleans Saints. And at cornerback, Patrick Surtain II of the Denver Broncos and Derek Stingley Jr. of the Houston Texans secured first-team All-Pro selections as Gonzalez joined fellow second-teamer Trent McDuffie of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Others garnered votes in Foxborough after the 4-13 season.

Long snapper Joe Cardona and punt returner Marcus Jones received 11 and 12, respectively, from the panel of 50 national media members.