Patriots' HC Reveals Week 2 Defensive Play-Caller

FOXBOROUGH, MA. — With defensive coordinator Terrell Williams currently taking some time away from the team, New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has revealed his defensive play-caller for the team’s Week 2 matchup against the Miami Dolphins.

When speaking with reporters following Friday’s practice, Vrabel revealed that inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr “will call the defense” for Sunday's contest at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

“Zak Kuhr will call the game defensively and I'll help him like I always do," Vrabel said. "But I'm excited for that. I think we've been prepared all week for that..."

The Pats head coach continued by saying that he “expects to have an update on Williams next week,” after which time the team will “go from there" regarding the duties moving forward.

Williams acted as both coordinator and defense play-caller for New England’s 20-13 Week 1 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders last Sunday at Gillette Stadium. He was absent from the field for the Pats’ first Week 2 practice on Wednesday. Since then, Kuhr has been taking on much of the coordinator’s responsibilities in preparation for their upcoming game against Miami.

Kuhr enters Week 2 with some experience as New England’s de-facto defensive coordinator. He accepted the role after Williams suffered what he deemed to be an “eye-opening medical situation” earlier this year, The 51-year-old remained at his home in Detroit per physician’s orders, as Kuhr, Vrabel, Patriots rookies and roster hopefuls took the practice fields during offseason workouts. While Williams returned to the field for the Patriots at the start of training camp, he was forced to leave practice in late August due to dehydration.

Kuhr joined the Patriots this offseason, after serving as a defensive assistant with the New York Giants in 2024. Prior to his arrival in East Rutherford, he was an assistant inside linebackers coach with the Tennessee Titans from 2021 to 2023, serving on Vrabel’s staff.

Prior to his time with the Titans, Kuhr had served as an offensive coordinator at Texas State. His earned his first coaching role in 2011 at Ohio State, when Vrabel was an assistant coach with the Buckeyes.

"Everybody comes in to work every day where, if somebody needs extra help, we're all ready to do that," Kuhr told reporters on Thursday. "Vrabes does a good job hiring good people. What I love about him as a head coach and even as a person is, really his mindset is everyday, 'How can I help? How can I make somebody better? How can I help you this situation?' It's all about working together and helping whoever needs help and reaching a common goal."