Terrell Williams Given New Role on Patriots Coaching Staff

Though Williams made several visits to Gillette Stadium this season, he had not traveled for a Patriots game. However, Williams made the trip to Santa Clara, California and was with the team as they for their championship showdown against the Seattle Seahawks on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium — a game won by Seattle 29-13.

Williams originally suffered what he deemed to be an “eye-opening medical situation” earlier this year. He remained at his home in Detroit per physician’s orders, as head coach Mike Vrabel, Patriots rookies and roster hopefuls took the practice fields during offseason workouts. Though 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. While being treated for the stomach flu in September, he was shortly thereafter diagnosed with prostate cancer. 

Could Zak Kuhr be the Patriots Choice as New Defensive Coordinator?

Linebackers coach Zak Kuhr, who joined the Patriots this offseason, is considered a strong candidate to replace Williams as defensive coordinator. Kuhr has done a tremendous job in calling the defensive plays in Williams’ absence through the regular season and into the playoffs. He found his way to New England 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.

The Patriots hired Williams as their new defensive coordinator in late January, shortly after Vrabel was named head coach. The two have a longstanding working relationship, having coached together with the Tennessee Titans when Williams served as Vrabel’s defensive line coach and his assistant head coach in 2023. 

In 2024, his only season with the Detroit Lions, Williams coached the fourth-best defense in the NFL when it came to run success rate at 36.1. In turn, his presence has helped to resurrect a Patriots run game which had fallen far and fast last year. Combined with his aggressive, physical approach to front-seven pressure, he had the experience to have the Pats defense showing marked improvement.

While New England has been justifiably confident that Kuhr has both the experience and ability to keep the ship sailing in the right direction to date, they are undoubtedly excited to have both coaches back in the Foxborough fold. Still, there is some work to do in relation to finalizing head coach Mike Vrabel’s staff prior to the start of next season.

“There’ll be a lot of things that we’ll have to work through there,” Vrabel said earlier this week. “T’s healthy and been given a release to be back and be back at work. So, I’ll work through all those things here in the next couple days, weeks, however long those decisions may take.”