New England Patriots defensive coordinator Terrell Williams, now cancer free after battling prostate cancer, is being moved to a high-ranking role within Mike Vrabel's coaching staff, leaving a vacancy at defensive coordinator, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported on Thursday.
Inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr, who filled in for Williams and drew positive marks for his play-calling during the Pats' run to the Super Bowl, is a top candidate, per Rapoport and Pelissero.
Williams, 51, has a long history with Vrabel dating back to their time together in Tennessee when Williams was defensive line coach from 2018-2022 before gaining the title of assistant head coach under Vrabel in 2023.
Williams was hired as the Patriots DC upon Vrabel's hiring this past offseason. Williams called defense in the team's season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders, but stepped away in the days following to deal with his cancer diagnosis.
The Patriots finished the 2025 campaign ranked fourth in points and eighth in yards allowed on defense.
Two days after the Patriots lost Super Bowl LX to the Seattle Seahawks, Vrabel was asked if he envisioned Williams staying put as the defensive coordinator.
"T's healthy and been given a release to be back and be back at work," Vrabel said, via team transcript. "So again, I'll work through all those things here in the next couple days, weeks, however long those decisions may take."
As of now, all signs point toward Kuhr staying put as the Patriots' DC on a full-time basis, but nothing's official as of yet
