The New England Patriots will be without their defensive coordinator on the sidelines for the foreseeable future.
Coach Mike Vrabel announced today that Terrell Williams has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
‘I unfortunately have to tell you Terrell Williams was determined to have prostate cancer and is in the process of treatment, meeting with specialists figuring out the best plan of attack,’ Vrabel said. ‘You know how much Terrell means to me personally and to the people on this football team… we want to send our regards and publicly let everyone know what he’s dealing with.
When he’s ready to talk, he’ll talk on his behalf but I wanted to let you know that’s what was going on.’
He’d been missing from the sidelines over the last two weeks with inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr calling plays in his stead.
‘We’ll continue as we have been with Zak Kuhr calling the defenses,’ Vrabel said. ‘I think that went well. I think the communication through the week, [the] organization hasn’t missed a beat whatsoever. I think those guys are doing a great job over there.’
Vrabel reiterated that he’s comfortable with where the team is at to handle Williams’ absence and that they’re thinking of him in this process.
‘Our thoughts, our prayers – [Williams] knows, we talk all the time – but just that are with him, his family, been through a lot and we care about him,’ he said.
Williams played noseguard for East Carolina in his college career. He coached defensive line at multiple college programs from 1998 to 2011 before breaking into the NFL in 2012 with the then-Oakland Raiders under head coach Dennis Allen.
Vrabel hired Williams when he first came to the Tennessee Titans in 2018. Williams coached the defensive line and took on assistant head coach duties in 2023. He spent a year with the Detroit Lions in 2024 before reuniting with Vrabel again in New England this season as a defensive coordinator for the first time.