New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel wears a “T-Strong” patch on his coaching vest while standing on the sideline in support of defensive coordinator Terrell Williams during his cancer battle.
The New England Patriots will be moving defensive coordinator Terrell Williams to a high-ranking role on the staff. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported this.
With this move, the Patriots have now opened up the defensive coordinator position. Inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr filled the role for Williams while he was away. Kuhr is now viewed as a top candidate for the position, as noted in the report.
The #Patriots are moving defensive coordinator Terrell Williams to a high-ranking role on the staff, per me & @TomPelissero, with Williams now cancer-free.
They’ve opened up the DC position, with ILBs coach Zak Kuhr, who called plays during the Super Bowl run, a top candidate. pic.twitter.com/dNG9BLe6pK
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 12, 2026
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Williams’ Rocky Start with New England Patriots
Williams was originally hired by the Patriots as the defensive coordinator in January 2025. He had a series of health issues and missed a pair of offseason workouts due to an undisclosed medical issue in the spring. He coached remotely for some time as reported by Boston.com.
Health issues flared up once again in the summer. During training camp in August 2025, he had a heat/dehydration incident. This caused him to leave practice while being treated, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
September saw Williams diagnosed with prostate cancer. It was confirmed that he would need to step away from the team to undergo treatment. Kuhr was announced as the defensive play caller following the announcement.
The Patriots’ defense was still able to function at a high level. They ranked fourth in the NFL in points allowed per game with 18.4. They allowed 262.3 passing yards and 128.9 rushing yards per game. The rushing yards allowed were sixth-best in the NFL.
The Patriots were able to find their identity throughout the season, as the players got more comfortable with Kuhr. They allowed an average of 13.8 points per game and only 8.7 points per drive in the playoffs. They were able to establish the physical identity that Williams wanted to bring to the table.
Patriots Defense In Good Hands Under Vrabel
This move could mean that Williams will still have a hand in the defense. Williams has history with Vrabel dating back to Tennessee Titans. He was with the Titans from 2018-2023. While there, he served as the defensive line coach. He added the title of assistant coach in 2023, while still coaching the defense. He was able to coach talented players such as Jeffrey Simmons while he was there.
It will certainly be interesting to see how Williams has a hand in the defensive unit, if at all. It will also be fascinating to see if Kuhr ends up becoming the permanent defensive coordinator for the organization. The Patriots have now seen what he was able to do with a season under his belt. The defensive unit responded at a high level, and Kuhr led them to a deep playoff run.
Continuity could be important for an organization that is still building and is relatively young. In any case, the defense appears to be in good hands. Vrabel is a defensive-minded coach, and the staff has several young pieces that could turn into high-caliber players in the coming seasons. At the very least, they have a solid defensive structure on multiple levels. Now, they’re keeping one of their most sought-after defensive coaches in the building for the foreseeable future, while bringing in another piece