Patriots Name Terrell Williams as New Defensive Coordinator

The New England Patriots have named Terrell Williams as their new defensive coordinator. Williams spent 2024 with the 15-2 Detroit Lions as a defensive assistant.

Williams laid a foundation with players after spending the prior six seasons with the Tennessee Titans under Mike Vrabel, which included asking star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson to meet him for dinner. Hutchinson, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 draft who has emerged as one of the NFL's premier pass rushers, said it was the first time he'd been out to dinner with a coach one-on-one since his time at the University of Michigan. He felt the dinner was the springboard to a "special relationship."

That relationship transferred to the field. When describing what Williams teaches on the field, Hutchinson explained: "Everything we do, we just pull the trigger. He really focuses on getting off the ball, striking blocks, and the rest will take care of itself."

For a Patriots defense that finished last in the NFL with 28 sacks last season, and has traditionally employed more of a read-and-react approach, it appears things will be changing significantly under Williams.

"He preaches a very, very violent game," longtime NFL coach Dave McGinnis, who has served as the Titans' radio analyst since 2017, told ESPN.

The Patriots announced their three coordinators last week, and while most of the attention was understandably on offensive playcaller Josh McDaniels and how he might bring out the best in promising rookie quarterback Drake Maye, the impact Williams could have on the defense is equally as critical based on the unit's regression this past season.

The Patriots allowed 27 passing touchdowns and intercepted seven passes -- their 3.9 passing TD/interception differential was their worst in a season in franchise history. Only the Cleveland Browns (6.5) and Jacksonville Jaguars (4.8) were worse in 2024.

Furthermore, the Patriots' defense allowed a 60.8 QBR, which was their worst in a season since ESPN began tracking in 2006 (previous worst 59.8 in 2018). Only the Carolina Panthers (64.7) and Jaguars (61.1) ranked lower last season.

The third-down defense allowed a 43.3 conversion rate, tied for 26th and the Patriots' worst mark in a season since 2010 (47.1%).

Williams, 50, has paid his coaching dues to get to this point. He coached in college from 1998 to 2011, beginning his journey as defensive line coach at Fort Scott Community College in Kansas and ultimately landing at Texas A&M from 2010 to '11, where he was lauded for his recruiting, among other things. In his early years, he was part of the NFL's internship program to provide minority coaches with experience, working with the Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks.

In 2012, then-Raiders head coach Dennis Allen, who played at Texas A&M, provided Williams his full-time breakthrough into the NFL by hiring him as defensive line coach. Williams was with the Raiders for three seasons -- Patriots Hall of Famer Richard Seymour was one of his starters in 2012 -- before landing in Miami under Joe Philbin in 2015 and then staying on staff under Adam Gase in 2016-2017.

When Vrabel was named Titans head coach in 2018, he hired Williams to coach the defensive line, and by 2023 named him assistant head coach and had him serve as head coach of the team's preseason opener. Vrabel cited Williams' ability to "reach every player" across the roster -- including offense.

Defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, one of the NFL's top players at his position, is one of Williams' biggest boosters.

Wow! So happy for Big T man! You deserve it Coach! Congrats to you and your family! https://t.co/6JtTVvRMTZ— Jeffery Simmons (@GrindSimmons94) January 22, 2025