Patriots Move Terrell Williams to New Role, Open Defensive Coordinator Job

Zak Kuhr emerges as leading candidate to take over Patriots' defensive coordinator position.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The New England Patriots are opening up their defensive coordinator position ahead of the 2026 NFL season by moving Terrell Williams to a different role on Mike Vrabel's staff. Williams, who was the Patriots' defensive coordinator, missed most of the 2025 season while battling prostate cancer. While Williams has been cleared to return to coaching, the Patriots are not committing to him re-taking the defensive coordinator role. Instead, Zak Kuhr, who acted as the team's de facto defensive coordinator in Williams' absence, is the leading candidate to take over the position.

Why it matters

The Patriots' defense was a strength of the team in 2025 under Kuhr's leadership, ranking highly in several key defensive metrics. Maintaining a strong defense will be crucial for the Patriots as they look to make another Super Bowl run in 2026. The move also highlights the challenges of dealing with serious health issues as a coach in the NFL.

The details

Terrell Williams, 51, was in his first stint as an NFL defensive coordinator after spending the entirety of his 13-year NFL coaching career as a defensive line coach, including a six-year stint on Vrabel's staff with the Tennessee Titans. Williams added the title of assistant head coach with the Titans in 2023 and was the Detroit Lions' run game coordinator in 2024. Zak Kuhr, 37, has spent five of the last six seasons on Vrabel's staffs with the Titans and Patriots, with the 2025 season being his lone one as a defensive play-caller.

  • Williams missed all but one week of the 2025 season while battling prostate cancer.
  • Williams was recently declared cancer-free and cleared to return to coaching.

The players

Terrell Williams

A 51-year-old coach who was the Patriots' defensive coordinator but missed most of the 2025 season due to prostate cancer.

Mike Vrabel

The head coach of the New England Patriots who brought Terrell Williams aboard as his defensive coordinator upon being hired.

Zak Kuhr

A 37-year-old coach who acted as the Patriots' de facto defensive coordinator in Terrell Williams' absence during the 2025 season and is the leading candidate to take over the role permanently.

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What they’re saying

“There'll be a lot of things we have to work through there.”

— Mike Vrabel, Head Coach, New England Patriots (NFL Media)

What’s next

The Patriots will need to finalize their defensive coordinator position for the 2026 season, with Zak Kuhr emerging as the leading candidate to take over the role.

The takeaway

The Patriots' defensive coordinator shakeup highlights the challenges of dealing with serious health issues in the NFL coaching ranks, as well as the importance of maintaining a strong defense for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. Zak Kuhr's success as the de facto coordinator in 2025 makes him the frontrunner to take over the role permanently.