The Patriots and Christian Gonzalez have agreed to a record four-year deal. (AP photo)

A major hurdle to the start of the New England Patriots season has been cleared as the team and star cornerback Christian Gonzalez overnight Tuesday agreed to a four-year, $135 million extension with a reported $102 million guaranteed.

The contract makes Gonzalez, 24, the highest paid cornerback in the NFL, and the highest paid player in Patriots history. Now a major distraction has been removed as the Patriots are headed to Seattle for Wednesday night’s season opener at Seattle, a rematch of Super Bowl LX.

Gonzalez was still under contract for two more seasons, this year and the team had already picked up his fifth-year option.

The contract had been the talk of the Patriots’ entire training camp, and while the sides appeared to have the parameters of a deal in focus, they were reportedly far apart on the contract language and guaranteed money, etc. But those roadblocks were cleared.

Gonzalez was an All-Pro in 2024 (second team) and Pro Bowl player last season, the team’s first round pick in 2023. Last year he played in 14 regular season games, setting career highs in total tackles (69) and pass deflections (10). While the Patriots flopped in Super Bowl LX, Gonzalez held the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year, Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, to one catch for 16 yards on five targets.

The two will see each other again in Wednesday night.