The New England Patriots have moved defensive coordinator Terrell Williams into a new role following their Super Bowl defeat.
The Patriots suffered heartbreak in Super Bowl LX on Sunday when they lost 29-13 to the Seattle Seahawks on a miserable night for Drake Maye and co at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Four days after the defeat, Williams, who battled cancer throughout the season, has been moved into an unspecified high-ranking role on the team, according to Ian Rapoport.
The Patriots now have a vacancy at defensive coordinator, with inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr, who called plays during the Super Bowl, reportedly in the running for the job.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Patriots for confirmation.
Williams joined the team as their defensive coordinator after Vrabel was hired as their head coach last year.
The New England Patriots have moved defensive coordinator Terrell Williams into a new role
The 51-year-old coach, who was diagnosed with cancer in the fall, had to receive medical attention during the Super Bowl opening night last week
However, the 51-year-old was diagnosed with prostate cancer in the fall, consequently missing a large chunk of the season.
He was able to rejoin the team for the Super Bowl last weekend after making progress with his recovery.
Back on September 8, Williams headed to urgent care, after he had been vomiting and suffering from a stomach virus.
He had also been suffering with a pain in his shoulder, but he assumed he had sustained it from sleeping in an awkward position.
But tests revealed that he had an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had spread throughout his body. He went through chemotherapy and hormone therapy and, the Boston Herald reported, a strict diet of medication.
‘When I first got the news in September, I never thought about a Super Bowl,’ Williams told the Daily Mail earlier this month. ‘I was just hoping to be okay.’
Doctors warned him the cancer could be fatal. ‘But I trusted in my faith and my wife was very supportive. [She] helped me keep my spirits up.’
The NFL world did their bit, too. ‘The phone calls, the text messages, the emails, the notes from fans,’ Williams continued. ‘I read them all, and a lot of them brought tears to my eyes.’
Cancer is only ‘dormant,’ rather than defeated. ‘You always have the threat of it coming back,’ he adds. And Super Bowl opening night last week brought a reminder of Williams’ fragile health. He stumbled before paramedics helped him into a wheelchair and treated him for dehydration. Thankfully, MassLive reported, Williams rode back to the team hotel with the rest of Vrabel’s staff.
Williams was scheduled to have a sixth – and final – round of chemotherapy on Tuesday just two days on from the Patriots’ Super Bowl defeat.
