Zak Kuhr is walking into 2026 with a bigger title, bigger expectations and a defense that still has some real questions hanging over it.
After stepping in last season when Terrell Williams was sidelined by illness, Kuhr handled the Patriots’ defensive play-calling job and helped guide a revamped unit to the Super Bowl. That run earned him the permanent promotion this offseason, with Williams moving into the Assistant Head Coach role and Kuhr now set to run the defense in 2026.
It was a sharp vote of confidence from Mike Vrabel, and Kuhr made the most of it. Si.com’s Ethan Hurwitz pointed out how well Kuhr navigated a difficult 2025 setup, and the coach himself was candid about what keeps him going as the pressure rises.
"'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 will matter, because the Patriots’ defense has some obvious holes to patch. The team let Khyiris Tonga walk in free agency, leaving the defensive tackle group thin. Even more pressing, the pass rush looks like the biggest problem on the board.
The edge situation is not exactly comforting. New England moved on from K’Lavon Chaisson and replaced him with Dre’Mont Jones, while Harold Landry III still comes with injury questions. On top of that, second-round pick Gabe Jacas has been hurt and is also in a contract holdout.
Kuhr’s profile is rising beyond Foxborough, too. Pro Football Focus recently listed him as one of 15 top candidates for a future NFL head coaching job, another sign that his stock is climbing even as the Patriots prepare for a demanding season ahead.
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