It’s official, folks: the New England Patriots coaching staff, led by head coach Mike Vrabel, is back in Gillette Stadium, kicking off the summer grind on Monday. After a massive 14-3 season that saw them land a Super Bowl berth, it’s no surprise there’s some serious movement within the staff as they gear up for another run.
New Leadership Taking The Defensive Reins
The biggest news dropping is a major shakeup on the defensive side of the ball. Terrell Williams, who was the nominal defensive coordinator, has been moved to assistant head coach. And stepping into the defensive coordinator role? That’s former inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr. This isn’t totally out of left field, though, since Kuhr actually called the defensive plays for most of the 2025 season after Williams’ prostate cancer diagnosis back in September. It just got made official, you know? Plus, Vinny DePalma, a defensive assistant, is now the inside linebackers coach, a role he practically held down in 2025 when Kuhr took over play-calling. Talk about earning your stripes.
Fresh Faces and Familiar Returns
Beyond the internal promotions, the Patriots are bringing in some new blood too. They’ve added Jonathan Decoster as offensive line assistant, B.J. Edmonds as a defensive assistant, and Charles London as an offensive analyst. That’s a solid infusion of talent to get things humming. And get this, former New England second-round draft pick Joejuan Williams is back in the building this summer, joining the team under the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship. You gotta love seeing a former player make that transition back to the sidelines.
While the coaches are already deep in planning, the players still have a few days before their report dates. The first group rolls in on Wednesday, with the rest of the roster checking in on Friday. Then, it’s game on for real, with the first practice of the summer set for 10:15 a.m. ET this Saturday, July 25. You know all eyes will be on how this new staff chemistry plays out after a Super Bowl caliber season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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