Zak Kuhr – New England Football Journal®

Patriots make it official naming Zak Kuhr the full time defensive coordinator

February 17, 2026

Courtesy of Patriots.com The Patriots have found their permanent answer at defensive coordinator, and they didn’t have to look far to find him. On Tuesday, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo, and Tom Pelissero reported that the team is officially hiring inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr to fill the role full-time. While the title is new, the face is a familiar one for a unit that just completed a…

5 Defensive Coordinator candidates to keep an eye on for the Patriots

February 13, 2026

0 comment

Getty Images As the New England Patriots enter the 2026 offseason, head coach Mike Vrabel faces a pivotal decision. After a resilient 2025 campaign that saw the team reach Super Bowl LX, the defensive coordinator (DC) position is officially open. Current reports indicate that Terrell Williams, who missed much of last season battling prostate cancer, is being moved into a high-ranking “Associate Head Coach” or strategic advisory role. This leaves…

Patriots to open defensive coordinator position

February 12, 2026

0 comment

The Patriots are reshaping their defensive coaching staff following the season ending loss to the Seahawks in Super Bowl LX. According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, the organization is moving defensive coordinator Terrell Williams into a high-ranking role within the staff. This transition comes after the news recently that Williams is now cancer-free, having battled prostate cancer throughout the 2025 season. While Williams remained a constant…

Kuhr making the challenging adjustment to defensive coordinator look seamless

January 17, 2026

0 comment

FOXBOROUGH- It is hard to coordinate an offense or a defense at any level of football. Especially when you are in your first year on the job. That is the challenge Patriots interim defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr has faced this season. Based on the results however, you would have thought Kuhr had been coordinating for years. Kuhr stepped into the role prior to the season opener against the Raiders after…

Offensive guys sing praises of Patriots defense after shutting down Chargers

January 13, 2026

0 comment

Getty Images FOXBOROUGH – Football is the ultimate team sport and the Patriots win over the Chargers is proof of that. Most of the onus this season has been on Drake Maye and the offense, but on Sunday night, the defense took center stage in a dominant performance against the Chargers. The Patriots defense sacked Justin Herbert 6 times, forced three fumbles and recovered one and held the Chargers to…

Neutralizing Josh Allen priority number one for Zak Kuhr and the Patriots defense

December 12, 2025

0 comment

FOXBOROUGH- Interim Patriots defensive play-caller Zak Kuhr met with the media on Thursday ahead of Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills. Kuhr touched on a variety of topics including how the Patriots could potentially contain Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Kuhr offered insights into the demanding task of defending one of the NFL’s premier dual-threat weapons. When talking about Allen’s exceptional talent, Kuhr acknowledged the difficulty in containing him. “He’s in…