In September, the Patriots announced that defensive coordinator Terrell Williams had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and would be stepping away from the team to focus on his health.
In his absence, the Patriots have introduced Zak Kuhr, originally the inside linebackers coach, as New England’s new defensive mind.
Why Kuhr?
Zak Kuhr got his start in the collegiate ranks in 2011 at Ohio State as an intern under then-coach Urban Meyer. Current Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was also an assistant during Kuhr’s tenure at the university. After Ohio State, Kuhr went on to several other college jobs, including running back coach roles at Rutgers, James Madison, Texas State, and at Texas, where he was an assistant coach.
In 2020, he joined the Tennessee Titans staff under Mike Vrabel, but he would have to make a major change in jobs. Kuhr was originally hired as the Titans’ quality control coach, but would later move strictly to the defensive side of the ball as the team’s assistant inside linebackers coach the following season. Kuhr held this role for three seasons until taking a job with the New York Giants as a defensive assistant in 2024.
This past offseason, when Mike Vrabel accepted the Patriots’ head coaching job, he brought Kuhr with him to serve as the inside linebackers coach. But when defensive coordinator Terrell Williams stepped away during the preseason to address his health issues, Kuhr became the next coach in line and assumed the play-calling responsibilities on defense.
Next Man Up
In his short time as the Patriots’ defensive play-caller, Zak Kuhr has overseen one of the most improved units in the league. In September, Vrabel made sure to point out the importance of having Kuhr on the staff by saying:
“He really became an asset for us defensively. He worked, did our red zone stuff for us in Tennessee,” Vrabel stated, “and then continued to grow, continued to understand what we were doing, and then watching him work in the spring and work in front of the guys and prepare them in the spring through training camp.”
Through 12 games, the Patriots rank:
- 8th best in points allowed
- 5th best in rushing yards allowed
- 8th best in total defense
Those numbers mark a significant jump from last season, when the Patriots finished 23rd against the run and 22nd in the other two categories.
Several players who were a part of the Tennessee Titans during Mike Vrabel’s and Zak Kuhrs’ tenure, have joined them in New England, including edge rusher Harold Landry III, inside linebacker Jack Gibbens, and inside linebacker Robert Spillane, who was drafted by the Titans in 2018, and played two games in the Vrabel system before spending time with the Steelers and Raiders.
This strong core of newly signed inside linebackers has helped tighten up some of the mistakes that Patriots fans have been seeing on defense in recent years. So far this season, the Patriots have the 4th-lowest number of missed tackles in the NFL.
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Building The Unit
A big component of this revamped Patriots defense has been toughness. During the offseason, Kuhr made that standard clear by stating, “Any style that we’ve been a part of, the unwavering violence is a huge part of that.”
Outside linebacker Jahlani Tavai echoed that mindset earlier this season, saying the defense has to “play with our hair on fire,” calling it “a scary thing” when all 11 defenders swarm to the football.
Kuhr’s message has set the tone for a defense that has focused on playing fast, finishing tackles, and challenging opposing teams at the line of scrimmage.
What’s To Come
The Patriots, currently sitting at 10-2, have a lot to be proud of, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The final stretch of the season will be a true test of how far this defensive unit has truly improved under Kuhr.
New England still faces several playoff-caliber offenses, including a trip to Baltimore to play the Ravens and Buffalo Bills at home in December.
The defense will need to maintain its discipline down the stretch in key areas such as the penalty department, where they are the 7th most penalized team in the NFL, and in the red zone, where the Patriots have allowed touchdowns on 73% of opponent trips, ranking dead last in the league. Needless to say, the Patriots have overcome a mountain of adversity on the defensive side of the ball.
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