New England Patriots defensive coordinator Terrell Williams is not present at rookie minicamp due to a "medical condition," head coach Mike Vrabel said Friday at a press conference.
Inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr has taken over Williams' responsibilities in his absence.
"Terrell Williams won't be out there today. Terrell is working through a medical condition," Vrabel told reporters at Gillette Stadium.
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Vrabel did not give a timeline for when Williams will return in person.
What made Kuhr the right coach to step in for Williams?
"A lot of this stuff was planned out, as far as the installation and things that we were going to do, so they did all of that as a staff," Vrabel said. "I just felt like Zak has great knowledge of what we've done here in the past with me in this system and Terrell."
Williams met with reporters on Zoom later Friday afternoon and gave some more information about his absence:
The Patriots hired Williams to be their new defensive coordinator back in January. He was the Detroit Lions' defensive line coach last season. He also spent time with Vrabel on the Tennessee Titans coaching staff from 2018 through 2023.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell had lots of praise for Williams when asked about him during the NFL Scouting Combine in February.
"He's an outstanding teacher. Great human being," Campbell told reporters.
"Someone who's team first, hard worker. He's got a good vision for what he wants to do, and certainly, I know what (Mike Vrabel) wants to do out there, they've worked together. He's just top-notch."