Colombian Pro Bowl cornerback, Christian Gonzalez, secured the New England Patriots’ ticket to Super Bowl LX with a dramatic, game-sealing interception late in the fourth quarter of the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.
Gonzalez’s interception with 2:11 remaining halted a final drive by the Denver Broncos, preserving his team’s 10-7 advantage in heavy snow at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver.
The win sent the Patriots to their first Super Bowl appearance since the departure of Tom Brady, setting up a championship clash against the Seattle Seahawks on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California.
A very Latino Super Bowl
The Patriots’ victory ensures that Super Bowl LX will feature significant South American representation on the field. Gonzalez, whose father is Colombian, is joined on the Patriots roster by kicker Andy Borregales, who is Venezuelan. This Latino influence will extend to the halftime show, marking a historic night for representation in the NFL.
Puerto Rican global superstar Bad Bunny is set to headline the halftime show. He will be the first male Latino artist to headline the event by himself and is expected to perform entirely in Spanish.
Donald Trump says he won't be attending this year's Super Bowl, criticizing NFL's choice of Bad Bunny and Green Day as entertainers:
“I’m anti-them. I think it’s a terrible choice. All it does is sow hatred. Terrible.”
(https://t.co/T3xQRkbnLT) pic.twitter.com/FOjiOlyad4
— Pop Base (@PopBase) January 24, 2026
The halftime show has already sparked political debate. According to reporting by USA Today, President Donald Trump criticized the selection of Bad Bunny, stating in an interview that he is “anti-them” and calling the choice “terrible.” Despite the backlash, the artist promised in a teaser trailer that “the world will dance.”
Christian Gonzalez made up for an early costly error with the championship-sealing interception
On the field in Denver, Gonzalez’s heroics capped a performance defined by mental resilience. Earlier in the game, the cornerback allowed a 52-yard reception to Marvin Mims Jr., a play that set up Denver’s only touchdown of the game.
“As a defensive back, you’ve got to have short-term memory,” Gonzalez said, according to reporting by the New York Post. “If the pick happened early in the game, I would have had to forget about that the same way that catch happened in the early game. Forget about it.” Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel praised Gonzalez’s ability to recover from the error and deliver when the season was on the line.
¡CRISTIAN GONZÁLEZ 🏈 ! Intercepción del jugador colombo-americano para casi sellar el triunfo de los Patriots que van por el SuperBowl.
¡Vamos 💛💛💙❤️!pic.twitter.com/R7Q6xuitr2
— Deporte Colombiano 🇨🇴 (@DeportColombia) January 25, 2026
“Your best players have to make those types of plays in championship games,” Vrabel said. “He’s been playing really, really good football, and sometimes you get beat. The best ones do.”
The interception was Gonzalez’s first of the season. According to reporting by Pats Pulpit, Vrabel noted a shift in the cornerback’s demeanor midway through the season, telling reporters he saw “a different Gonzo” and “a different person” emerge over the last two months.
The Patriots look to make history at Super Bowl LX
The Patriots’ defense, led by Gonzalez, stifled Broncos backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who was starting in place of the injured Bo Nix. According to reporting by Fox Sports, the Patriots have allowed just 26 points across three playoff games, a defensive run that rivals the historic 2000 Baltimore Ravens.
Offensively, the Patriots were guided by 23-year-old quarterback Drake Maye. Maye is a finalist for the MVP award and has finally provided the franchise with a long-term successor to the Brady era.
Gonzalez will become just the second Colombian to play in a Super Bowl, after offensive lineman Fernando Velasco. He featured for the Carolina Panthers in their 2016 loss against the Denver Broncos. Gonzalez has the chance to make history by becoming the first Colombian with a Super Bowl ring.
For Gonzalez, the immediate focus remains on the resilience that carried his team through the snow in Denver. “We’ve got our identity no matter where we’re at and no matter the weather,” Gonzalez said in a post-game interview. The Patriots will face the Seattle Seahawks, who defeated the Los Angeles Rams 31-27 in the NFC championship game.