Mike Vrabel Reveals Patriots DC Terrell Williams's Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

The longtime assistant is in his first year with New England.

Terrell Williams (seen here with the Lions in 2024) has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Patriots defensive coordinator Terrell Williams has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, New England coach Mike Vrabel announced Friday afternoon.

"He's in the process of treatment and meeting with specialists—they're figuring out the best plan of attack to be able to attack this," Vrabel said via Mike Reiss of ESPN. "You know how much Terrell means to me personally and to the people of this football team, so we want to send our regards and let everybody know publicly that's what he's dealing with."

The announcement puts to bed in disquieting fashion speculation surrounding Williams's health, which has reached a fever pitch in New England in recent weeks. Williams missed a large chunk of the offseason with an unspecified health issue, briefly returning for the Patriots' opener before once again stepping back.

Zak Kuhr, nominally the team's inside linebackers coach, has been calling defensive plays for most of September.

New England hired Williams away from the Lions on Jan. 22 after he spent a year as their defensive line coach. The East Carolina product has coached in the NFL since 2012 after over a decade in the college ranks.

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