The New England Patriots had a 2025 season rife with success. From Drake Maye's emergence to their Super Bowl appearance, there was plenty for Patriots fans to celebrate despite the team being unable to hoist their seventh Lombardi Trophy.
While New England's offense, led by Maye and wide receiver Stefon Diggs, caught the eye of fans across the league, the defense was quietly one of the best in the league during the first half of the regular season. After their bye week and into the playoffs, the unit hit a different level.
Led by Milton Williams, Marcus Jones, and Christian Gonzalez, the Patriots held opposing offenses to just 12 points per game during last year's playoff run. Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba was held to four catches for 27 yards during the Super Bowl after he led the league with over 105 receiving yards per game during the regular season.
While New England's additions during the offseason became major pieces to their defensive success, de-facto defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr played a massive role. In 2025, there weren't many expectations for him, but he'll no doubt be under serious pressure entering his first full season in that role.
What Zak Kuhr accomplished in 2025 only raised the bar for 2026
Terrell Williams was brought in by Mike Vrabel to be the defensive coordinator last season after they spent a half decade together in Tennessee. During his first four seasons with the Titans, Williams was the defensive line coach. He added assistant head coach to his title in 2023.
In 2024, he left for the Lions following Vrabel's firing, but found himself back with Vrabel in 2025, this time as the DC. After health issues limited him to just one game of coaching last season, his role was changed from DC to assistant head coach. Under normal circumstances, Williams might have remained in his role, but Kuhr found unforeseen success as the defensive play caller.
Kuhr spent time as a high school coach before moving to the college game. He was an intern for Ohio State from 2011-2012, and eventually worked his way up to being the Texas Longhorns' assistant coach in 2019.
He left to work for Vrabel's Titans the following season, where he operated as a defensive quality control coach and inside linebackers coach until Vrabel's firing at the end of 2023. He was a defensive assistant for the Giants in 2024.
Zak Kuhr is under serious pressure entering his first full season as defensive coordinator
Last season, the expectation for Kuhr was that he'd be able to keep the ship afloat. Not only did he do that, but he led the Patriots' fourth-ranked defense from Week 2 on. New England ranked sixth against the rush and ninth against the pass.
The 2026 offseason saw New England lose K'Lavon Chaisson, Jack Gibbens, and Jaylinn Hawkins in free agency. They did, however, add Dre'Mont Jones and Kevin Byard as external signings, and traded up for Gabe Jacas in the second round of the draft.
Losses like Khyiris Tonga, Anfernee Jennings, and Jahlani Tavai will likely be felt, but the expectation is that Kuhr will be able to find replacements.
While pressure on Kuhr is a given, it should come as no surprise that the whole defense is behind him after a tremendous first season in the role. Jones recently spoke about Kuhr's efforts from last season, saying, "I commend him for stepping in shoes that was big shoes at the time. He’d never been in that situation, but at the end of the day, he was always letting us know certain plays, certain schemes, ‘how you guys feel about this?’"
Brendon Schooler added: "I don’t think anybody’s more deserving than [Kuhr], stepping into that defensive coordinator role and just doing what he did in the postseason, and throughout the whole season."
While Kuhr will look to continue to make an impact in his first official year as the defensive coordinator, it will be key that he doesn't let the newfound pressure affect his play calling. The 38-year-old has a bright future ahead of him, and here's to hoping he'll have a strong 2026 leading the defense in New England.
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