Terrell Williams facts for kids
Williams in 2021
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| New England Patriots | |
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| Position: | Defensive coordinator |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | June 19, 1974 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| College: | East Carolina |
| Career history | |
| As coach: | |
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| Coaching stats at PFR | |
Terrell Williams (born June 19, 1974) is an American football coach. He is currently the defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots in the National Football League (NFL).
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Playing and Coaching College Football
Terrell Williams grew up in Los Angeles. He played college football at East Carolina University. He was a nose guard, which is a defensive player who tries to stop the other team's running plays.
In 1995, Williams helped his team win the Liberty Bowl against Stanford. He earned a degree in communications with a minor in history.
After playing, Williams became a coach. From 1998 to 2011, he coached at several colleges. He always coached the defensive line, helping players who try to stop the opposing team's offense.
- He started at Fort Scott Community College in Kansas.
- Then he coached at North Carolina A&T for two years.
- Next, he spent two years at Youngstown State.
- He also coached for two years at Akron.
- He spent four years with the Purdue team.
- Finally, he coached for two years at Texas A&M before moving to the NFL.
Coaching in the NFL
Before becoming a full-time NFL coach, Williams had three summer internships. These internships allowed him to help NFL teams. He worked with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1999. He also helped the Seattle Seahawks in 2007 and the Dallas Cowboys in 2008.
Oakland Raiders Coaching Role
In 2012, Williams got his first full-time NFL coaching job. He joined the Oakland Raiders as their defensive line coach. He worked under head coach Dennis Allen.
In 2014, his defensive line group was very strong. They helped the Raiders' defense rank eighth in the NFL for stopping running plays. They were also second in the NFL for tackles made behind the line of scrimmage. This means they often stopped players before they could gain many yards.
Miami Dolphins Coaching Role
In 2015, Williams became the defensive line coach for the Miami Dolphins. He worked with head coach Joe Philbin, and later with Adam Gase.
In 2016, Williams helped the Dolphins have a great season. They won 10 games and made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Two defensive linemen, Cameron Wake and Ndamukong Suh, played very well under Williams. Wake had 29 sacks, which is when a defensive player tackles the quarterback. Suh had 15.5 sacks, which was a high number for a defensive tackle. Wake also forced nine fumbles, making him one of the best in the NFL at that time.
Tennessee Titans Coaching Role
In 2018, Williams joined the Tennessee Titans. He worked with head coach Mike Vrabel. In his first year, the Titans' defense was very good. They ranked eighth overall in yards allowed per game. They were also third in points allowed per game. This means they made it hard for other teams to score.
In 2019, Williams helped the Titans reach the AFC Championship game. This is a very important game that decides which team goes to the Super Bowl.
Detroit Lions Coaching Role
On February 21, 2024, Williams was hired by the Detroit Lions. He became their defensive running game coordinator and defensive line coach. He worked under head coach Dan Campbell.
New England Patriots Coaching Role
On January 22, 2025, Williams was hired by the New England Patriots. He rejoined coach Mike Vrabel there. He is now the defensive coordinator for the Patriots. This means he is in charge of the entire defensive strategy for the team.
Family Life
Terrell Williams is married to Tifini. They have two sons, Tahj and Tyson. The family faced a sad time when their son, Tyson, passed away at a young age in 2012.
