Zak Kuhr didn’t exactly walk into the safest job description in New England.
When defensive coordinator Terrell Williams was diagnosed with prostate cancer and stepped away from the team, the Patriots handed inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr the playcalling duties in 2025. He had never called plays at the NFL level, and he had never carried the coordinator title at any of his previous stops before arriving in New England. Still, head coach Mike Vrabel put the responsibility in his hands.
Kuhr didn’t just manage it. He thrived in it.
New England’s defense became a force, helping power the Patriots to 17 total wins and a Super Bowl LX run. That performance earned Kuhr a promotion this offseason to full-time defensive coordinator, a move that felt like the natural next step after how well he handled the role.
Now the 38-year-old is settled into the title, but he’s not pretending the outside noise doesn’t matter. Speaking during mandatory minicamp last month, Kuhr said two forces keep him pushing.
"There’s two things that really motivate me -- belief and doubt," Kuhr said. "The people that believe in me, I go that much harder for them.
I truly believe that Vrabes believes in me. Terrell, everybody on the staff.
And then truly the people that doubt me drive me that much as well. When I hear that (doubt), and I hear that, 'Hey, we believe in you.'
Yes, it drives me, absolutely."
That mindset fits a Patriots defense that got strong production from the obvious names and the unexpected ones alike. Milton Williams, Marcus Jones and Christian Gonzalez were central pieces, but New England also squeezed impact out of rookies and lesser-known contributors such as safety Craig Woodson, his position mate Jaylinn Hawkins and defensive tackle Cory Durden.
Even with that success, the group won’t look exactly the same this time around. Khyiris Tonga, K'Lavon Chaisson and Jack Gibbens are gone, and the challenge now is getting the same kind of juice from the new faces. How Kuhr handles those transitions will say plenty about where this defense is headed next.
There’s already chatter that he could be on a fast track beyond New England. In a recent Pro Football Focus article, Kuhr landed on a shortlist of assistants who could emerge as head coaching candidates in the near future.
That may be getting ahead of things, but it’s easy to see why his name is popping up. If he puts together another season like the one he just had, the conversation around him will only get louder.
"Kuhr’s defense was especially suffocating in the postseason, permitting only three touchdowns on 49 drives courtesy of a staggering 50.3% pressure rate and a 43.5% blitz rate," PFF's Bradley Locker wrote. "If New England can sustain that kind of dominant defense in 2026 with some new faces - and improve its defensive line play - then the 38-year-old Kuhr might be poised for a leap."
For now, Kuhr is keeping the focus on the group, not the title. Much of the staff from last season remains intact, with Vinny DePalma moving from defensive assistant to inside linebackers coach and Williams now listed as "assistant head coach." Kuhr says that continuity matters, and he’s leaning into the collaborative setup.
"I wouldn’t say it’s what I want to do. I always use the word 'we.'
It’s what we want to do," Kuhr said. "I don’t think there’s a lot of difference from last year to this year as far as the staff collaboration.
We did that last year and continue to do so. It’s a lot of different ideas, not just me.
I would say it’s pretty smooth going. We have a lot of experience with each other.
After last year, we riffed off each other pretty well.
"We’ve had some good ideas, and this is the best time right now to try that stuff out in the lab, out there on the field."
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One option hanging out there is the kind of trade that makes sense for both sides, especially if the Patriots want to add another big, developmental piece without paying full price. The Browns have a tackle with uncommon size, but his availability has been shaped by injuries and a limited NFL track record, and a deal built around Marcus Bryant and a late-round pick has been floated as the sort of return that could get Cleveland to listen. [Read more 🡒]