Attrition has hit the Detroit Lions coaching staff hard, with Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson both expected to depart this offseason. Now, another coach is also set to leave the team. The New England Patriots are anticipated to hire Terrell Williams as their new defensive coordinator, marking a reunion with new head coach Mike Vrabel, who worked with Williams during his tenure in Tennessee.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported, “Lions defensive line coach Terrell Williams, who worked with Mike Vrabel in Tennessee from 2018-2023, is leaving Detroit to become the Patriots defensive coordinator,” as he posted on X. Williams, who reached the role of assistant head coach under Vrabel in Nashville during his final season, will now take on the most significant coaching position of his career at the age of 50. He has been a defensive line coach throughout his coaching journey since 1998.
Having coached at nearly every level of football, Williams has experience at Fort Scott, North Carolina A&T, Youngstown State, Akron, Purdue, and Texas A&M in college football. In the NFL, he has worked with teams including Oakland, Miami, Tennessee, and, of course, Detroit.
This opportunity stands as his biggest yet, and it will be interesting to see how it develops. As the Patriots undergo a rebuilding phase, it’s hoped that he will be granted the necessary time to implement his strategies. Meanwhile, Detroit will likely continue to experience attrition within their coaching staff, a common reality in the NFL.
