New England Patriots defensive coordinator Terrell Williams is facing a serious health issue, coach Mike Vrabel announced Friday.
Williams, the Patriots’ first-year defensive coordinator, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, Vrabel announced Friday.
“I unfortunately have to tell you that Terrell Williams was determined to have prostate cancer, and is in the process of treatment, meeting with specialists, and figuring out the best plan of attack to be able to attack this, heal it, fix it, and allow him to get back to better health,” Vrabel said.
Video: in his opening remarks, Mike Vrabel shares that defensive coordinator Terrell Williams has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. pic.twitter.com/Y6OkbYAVtm
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) September 26, 2025
Williams has been away from the Patriots since Sept. 10 due to his ongoing health issues. Linebackers coach Zak Kuhr has been handling playcalling duties since then, and Vrabel said that will continue as long as Williams is away from the team.
Williams, 51, joined Vrabel’s new staff in the offseason following one season as an assistant for the Detroit Lions. The veteran defensive line coach has worked for five NFL teams since 2012, and this is his first role as a defensive coordinator.
The veteran coach also dealt with a health scare during training camp. He collapsed during a practice in early August, which was attributed to dehydration. He also missed time due to health issues during the spring. It is unknown if those were related to his new diagnosis.
