Patriots defensive coordinator Terrell Williams to miss Week 2 with new health issue
Coach Mike Vrabel says the issue is unrelated to Williams’ earlier collapse; inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr will assume a larger role
New England Patriots defensive coordinator Terrell Williams will not be with the team for their Week 2 game against the Miami Dolphins after suffering an "unforeseen" health issue, head coach Mike Vrabel said Wednesday.
Vrabel told reporters the matter is unrelated to a health scare Williams experienced last month when he collapsed at a Patriots practice session. "It was something that just came up. We'll have to run some more tests. And we think it's best, and I think it's best that he focus on that and we prepare for Miami," Vrabel said. He confirmed Williams will step away from game-day duties while the team evaluates the issue.
In Williams' absence, Vrabel said inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr will take on a larger role and could call defensive plays on Sunday. The Patriots face the Dolphins in Miami in their second regular-season game.
Williams, who was hired by New England in January, had returned to the team’s training camp in August after taking time away earlier in the year. Reports from the scene in Foxborough said Williams collapsed at the practice facility behind Gillette Stadium and was briefly tended to on a stretcher before leaving on a cart. At the time, Vrabel said the coach was back with the team and that players were "excited to see him." Williams has not publicly disclosed the nature of the earlier illness.
A veteran coach with 27 years of experience, Williams began his coaching career at the college level in 1998 and reached the NFL in 2012 with the then-Oakland Raiders. He has worked with the Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans and Detroit Lions before joining the Patriots staff for the 2025 season.
The Patriots’ defensive preparations will be adjusted with Williams absent for the Miami game, a contest that pits New England against the Dolphins’ offense under close scrutiny after the opening week. Teams typically rely on continuity in defensive play calling, and Vrabel’s decision to elevate Kuhr signals a short-term internal solution while medical evaluations continue.
The Patriots did not provide additional medical details Wednesday. Vrabel said the team will "run some more tests" and will update Williams' status when more information is available. The club is scheduled to travel to Miami later this week for the Sunday matchup.
Williams’ absence marks the latest personnel disruption for New England as the team attempts to stabilize its coaching staff and on-field performance early in the season. The Patriots will enter Week 2 hoping to field a fully prepared defensive game plan despite the sudden change in coordinator availability.