NFL coach steps away from his team after 'traumatic' health scare
The New England Patriots will be without their defensive coordinator during the team's upcoming rookie minicamp due to an undisclosed 'medical condition.'
Head coach Mike Vrabel revealed on Friday that defensive coordinator Terrell Williams would not be joining the team.
Vrabel did not go into the specific condition that Williams was dealing with.
The head coach also declined to say when he might expect the 50-year-old to make his return to the team.
'I've been in constant communication with him daily,' said Vrabel. 'Terrell's eager to get back, and we're excited to get him back.'
Williams spoke to reporters later on Friday, saying that he had a 'health scare' and that he's been in Detroit since the incident happened.
The coach called the incident 'traumatic' but says he's 'not away from the team'. Vrabel reported that Williams was taking Zoom calls with players.
Williams' duties will be handled by inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr in his absence.
'Zak has great knowledge of what we've done in the past, with me and this system, and with Terrell,' Vrabel said.
Williams is in his first season as defensive coordinator with the Patriots, which also is Vrabel's first season at the helm.
He was on Vrabel's staff with the Tennessee Titans from 2018-23, finishing that tenure as the assistant head coach and defensive line coach.
Williams served as defensive line coach/run game coordinator for the Detroit Lions last season.
Williams coached the defensive line for the Miami Dolphins (2015-17) and then-Oakland Raiders (2012-14) after college stints as an assistant at Texas A&M, Purdue, Akron and other schools.
Last season, the Patriots finished with a 4-13 record under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo. Mayo was fired an hour after the last game of the season - a win over the Buffalo Bills that prevented the Patriots from claiming the No. 1 overall pick.
Instead, New England picked fourth and selected offensive tackle Will Campbell out of LSU.
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