Terrell Williams was hired by the Patriots last offseason to be the team’s defensive coordinator. He was away from the organization during minicamp while dealing with a medical issue, and it was later revealed that the 51-year-old had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Linebackers coach Zak Kuhr took over the defensive play-calling duties and retained that responsibility for the entire regular season and playoffs.
Williams returned late in the year but did not travel for away games, and he later announced that he was cancer-free. To avoid any confusion about roles heading into the 2026 offseason, Mike Vrabel quickly transitioned Williams to a “high-ranking” job on his staff, with Kuhr eventually being named the full-time DC.
We’ve now got clarity on Williams’ new role for next season, as the team announced that he’s been named assistant head coach. Williams actually held that same role with the Titans during Vrabel’s final season in Tennessee, and his familiarity with his boss clearly played a role in him sticking in New England. When recently describing his assistant’s new gig, Vrabel noted that Williams will continue to have a major influence on the defensive line.
“It’s going to be a strong role on the defense,” Vrabel said (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss). “He’s going to act as a coordinator in presenting information and ideas and making sure we’re really solid across the front from our edges to the interior. We have some guys inside that I think can continue to develop and grow, whether that’s Milt [Williams], Christian [Barmore] or anybody else. I think those guys can continue to get better; Terrell will have a large hand in that, but he’s also going to be able to help me and be an extension of me throughout our program.”
The Patriots announced the rest of their 2026 coaching staff the other day, with the team returning many of their coaches from last year. One name who wasn’t included on this year’s list was Ben McAdoo, who served as a senior assistant in 2025. Reiss recently wrote that the veteran coach didn’t have his contract option exercised, leading to some uncertainty about his status with the organization. McAdoo’s absence from the team’s announcement indicates that he won’t be back with the Patriots in 2026.
More notes out of New England…
- Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore was arrested on a domestic assault charge late last year, but prosecutors dropped the case last week, per a report from WCVB in Boston. The 26-year-old was in court for a potential arraignment, but the prosecutor eventually determined that the case was “not viable” since it featured a “delayed complaint” coupled with the victim’s “mixed emotions about whether she wanted to go forward.” The victim claimed she had an argument with Barmore in 2025 that ultimately led to a physical incident that caused bruising. Barmore could still be subject to discipline by the NFL based on the personal conduct policy.
- Last month, the Patriots handed Mack Hollins‘ $400K for a missed incentive, per OverTheCap.com. The wideout didn’t hit the bonus after his late-season stint on injured reserve, but the Patriots still decided to pay out the extra cash. The veteran’s first season in New England saw him haul in 46 catches for 550 yards and two touchdowns before adding another 129 yards and a score in two postseason games.
- We’ve got a handful of updates on New England’s recent free agent signings. Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, tight end Julian Hill got a three-year, $15MM deal from the Patriots that could hit up to $18MM via incentives. The contract contains $7.5MM in guaranteed money, including a $4.2MM signing bonus. Meanwhile, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reports that fullback Reggie Gilliam got a three-year deal worth a max value of $12MM, with $6MM in guaranteed money owed through the first two years. Finally, Reiss reports that safety Kevin Byard‘s one-year deal with the Patriots is worth $7MM, with the potential for up to $9MM in earnings. Byard got a $3.5MM signing bonus and will earn $6.17MM in guaranteed money.