That he can't be worse than the last guy!Don't know much about him. Anyone?
Terrell Williams joins the Lions in 2024 as run game coordinator/defensive line coach, bringing 27 years of coaching experience to Detroit. He most recently spent six seasons (2018-23) with the Tennessee Titans overseeing the defensive line, while adding the assistant head coach title in 2023.
From 2018-23, Williams's unit ranked fourth in the NFL with only 10,044 rushing yards allowed over that span. Under his tutelage, DE Denico Autry became the franchise's first player since Jevon Kearse (1999-2001) to record eight-or-more sacks in three consecutive seasons.
In 2022, Williams helped the Titans finish first in the NFL in rushing defense allowed (76.9 rushing yards per game), which was the second-lowest number in franchise history. They also led the League with a 3.4 yards per carry average. In the AFC Divisional Round, Williams helped the Tennessee defense tie the postseason single-game sack record with nine sacks against Cincinnati.
Throughout his time with the Titans, Williams developed 2019 first-round selection DT Jeffery Simmons to become a two-time All-Pro and Pro Bowler. In 2021, Simmons earned Second-Team AP All-Pro honors after setting career-highs in pressures (58), tackles (54), tackles for loss (12), sacks (8.5) and pass defenses (six). In 2020, Williams assisted Simmons in becoming the first player in club history since at least 1999 to post at least five pass defenses, 3.0 sacks and three fumble recoveries in a single season.
Williams also tutored veteran DE Jurrell Casey in Tennessee, helping him earn his fourth and fifth Pro Bowl selections in 2018 and 2019. In Williams's first season with the Titans, the team ranked second in red zone scoring defense (44.7 touchdown percentage), third in points allowed (18.9 per game) and eighth in overall defense (333.4 yards allowed per game).
Prior to his arrival in Tennessee, Williams spent three seasons (2015-17) with the Miami Dolphins coaching the defensive line. In his time with Miami, DE Cameron Wake tallied 29.0 sacks, the eighth-highest total by a player over that span. He also worked with All-Pro DT Ndamukong Suh, who totaled the eighth-most sacks (15.5) among defensive tackles in that period.
In 2016, Williams helped the Dolphins to their first playoff berth since 2008, a year in which both Wake and Suh earned Pro Bowl selections. Wake finished third in the AFC and tied for sixth in the NFL with 11.5 sacks.
In his first season with Miami in 2015, Williams assisted Miami in becoming one of just four NFL teams to have three players with at least six sacks – 7.0 by Wake, 6.0 by Suh and 7.5 by DE Olivier Vernon. Vernon finished the year with 36 quarterback hits, the third-most in the NFL, and tied for fourth among all players with 18 tackles for loss.
Williams first entered the full-time NFL ranks as a defensive line coach for the Oakland Raiders from 2012-14. In 2014, the Raiders defense ranked eighth in the NFL in fewest rushing yards allowed per play (3.97) and finished second in the League in stuffs with 54.
Before Oakland, Williams spent 14 years working as a defensive line coach throughout the collegiate ranks. He spent the 2010-11 seasons at Texas A&M, advancing to a bowl game in both years. The Aggies led the nation with 51 sacks in 2011 and finished third nationally with an average of eight tackles for loss per game. In 2010, Williams helped Texas A&M share the program's first Big 12 South crown for the first time in over a decade.
From 2006-09, Williams worked at Purdue and tutored future NFL DL Anthony Spencer, who led the NCAA in tackles for loss and was a First-Team All-American before becoming a first-round pick with the Dallas Cowboys in 2007. Throughout his time with the Boilermakers, Williams developed future NFL players such as the Lions' Cliff Avril, Alex McGee, Mike Neal, Ryan Kerrigan, Kawann Short and Ryan Baker.
Williams coached the defensive line at Akron from 2004-05, helping the Zips win the Mid-American Conference Championship in 2005 and play in the Motor City Bowl, both firsts in program history. Williams also spent two years (2002-03) as the defensive line coach at Youngstown State.
He served on the coaching staff at North Carolina A&T from 1999-2001, where he tutored Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager Brad Holmes, then a defensive tackle for the Aggies. He got his start in coaching working with the defensive line at Fort Scott Community College during the 1998 season.
Williams had three summer internships in the NFL during his college coaching tenure. During the summer of 1999, he assisted the Jacksonville Jaguars with the defensive line, and he had a similar role with the Seattle Seahawks in 2007 and with the Dallas Cowboys in 2008.
A native of Los Angeles, Williams played nose guard at East Carolina and helped the Pirates to a Liberty Bowl victory over Stanford in 1995. He transferred to East Carolina from West Los Angeles College and earned a bachelor's degree in communications with a minor in history. He and his wife, Tifini, have two sons, Tahj and Tyson, who passed away in 2012
Glenn still might leave, no? A little interesting that Williams jumps to the Pats instead fo angling for the promotion in Detroit.He was the Lions defensive coordinator against the run, which was the strength of Detroit’s D. Really like the hire. He was seen as the obvious heir apparent if Glenn left.
It strikes me that WIlliams (and McDaniels) have been part of the plan Vrabel's been developing for the next time he was hired as a HC. If nothing else, I'm happy that we have a HC who actually has a plan.Glenn still might leave, no? A little interesting that Williams jumps to the Pats instead fo angling for the promotion in Detroit.
The opportunity to work with Dugger and Tavai is something few coaches would pass up.Glenn still might leave, no? A little interesting that Williams jumps to the Pats instead fo angling for the promotion in Detroit.
He spent 5 years working with Vrabel in Tennessee and was an assistant head coach. He was only with Detroit for a year. He probably just likes working with Vrabel.Glenn still might leave, no? A little interesting that Williams jumps to the Pats instead fo angling for the promotion in Detroit.
Could be.He spent 5 years working with Vrabel in Tennessee and was an assistant head coach. He was only with Detroit for a year. He probably just likes working with Vrabel.
Schefter had Sheppard as the favorite for the promotion. I'd guess a guy who has been a D-line coach for close to 30 years is taking the DC job with a guy he worked for a long time over the hope he gets picked by the guy he doesn't know as well.Glenn still might leave, no? A little interesting that Williams jumps to the Pats instead fo angling for the promotion in Detroit.
Thanks for posting . Didn’t know anything about him either, but that bio indicates a very good, experienced, professional coach who’s gotten results everywhere he’s been. Vrabel has been on point with all of his moves thus far IMO.I don’t know much about him either. Here is his bio from the Lions:
Nice guess BSI would think most up and coming position coaches (preferably D related) would jump at the opportunity to become DC for a rebuilding Pats team. For an established DC the cost of failure may be too high as rebuilding a depleted Pats D could hurt chances for a future HC job. But a talented young position coach could make his bones with the Pats with not much downside and lots of upside.
Can I be more than +1 on this post! I've been hammering this concept for a year. I thought that much of what led to the raft of re-signings last year was Mayo's version of this "bring in your guys" approach to being a new HC. The issue was that Mayo's guys were the old guys.It will be interesting to see if Terrell Williams hiring will lead to some Detroit free agent signings. Guys like DL Levi Onwuzurike, LB Derrick Barnes, CB Carlton Davis, DB Ifeatu Melifonwu, DE Marcus Davenport are all unrestricted free agents. This is why I liked bringing coaches from outside the building as they have built relationships with other players across the NFL. That never happened with Mayo or any of the defensive staff.
I really liked Vrabel in Tennessee.. hopefully he’s able to coach up the players here.. the talent level needs to improve but they could also have won a few more games last year with a decent coach.Thanks for posting . Didn’t know anything about him either, but that bio indicates a very good, experienced, professional coach who’s gotten results everywhere he’s been. Vrabel has been on point with all of his moves thus far IMO.
He'll also have the connections from Tennessee at perhaps a different level of relationship from Vrabel. Certainly agree this is a positive. Outside help is needed.It will be interesting to see if Terrell Williams hiring will lead to some Detroit free agent signings. Guys like DL Levi Onwuzurike, LB Derrick Barnes, CB Carlton Davis, DB Ifeatu Melifonwu, DE Marcus Davenport are all unrestricted free agents. This is why I liked bringing coaches from outside the building as they have built relationships with other players across the NFL. That never happened with Mayo or any of the defensive staff.
I would think most up and coming position coaches (preferably D related) would jump at the opportunity to become DC for a rebuilding Pats team
.Nice guess BS
Since he seemed to largely be responsible for the run game, I looked up his teams numbers against the run throughout his NFL career when I heard his name a few days ago. Wasn't blown away with most of his career numbers - some top 10, some bottom 10 - but his last 2 years in Tennessee and last few years in Detroit all produced top 5 rush defenses (except for this year in DET, which can probably be excused with all the injuries.).Don't know much about him. Anyone?
This hire parallel's someone like a Romeo Crennel minus the prior super bowls and super bowl appearances he had. Crennel didn't become a DC until he was 53 years old with Cleveland in 2000 before coming to New England. Prior to that from 1990-1999 with the Giants, Patriots and Jets he was the DL coach. Very similar to Williams who has been a DL coach since 2012 and will be 51 when he is the DC for the first time.First: not a critic of this hire. Happy to give Vrabs the benefit of the doubt.
And all else being equal am somewhat encouraged that he didn't pick a name that would be popular with sports journalists and casual fans, because what do we know?
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Not to be a turd in the punch bowl here, but Terrell Williams' bio isn't really that of an "up and comer"
According to Wikipedia, dude started coaching in 1998 for a community college. First got a coaching internship in the NFL a year later. It was not until 13 years (!) after that-- and multiple internships-- that anyone offered him a full time job in the league, as a positional coach. Fast forward twelve years to last week and he was still a positional coach, still coaching the defensive line, for the 4th NFL team that hired to him to do not much more than he'd done before.
His bio reads to me as that of a guy who has been passed over for "up and comers" many, many times. The up and comers of this year's hiring cycle are twenty years younger than Williams. They have paid a tiny fraction of the dues this guy has. FWIW, he's older than Vrabel is. And despite almost three decades of defensive coaching nobody seems to have previously thought it was worth giving him a shot at being a DC.
Again, my instinct is to give Vrabel the benefit of the doubt and withhold judgment until we have something to base that judgment on. And since I distrust popular sentiment I take it as a mark in this guy's favor that nobody has been talking about him as the next hot shit defensive genius.
That said, this feels more like Vrabel looking at someone and saying "Man, why have you been waiting so long? Get on the bus" rather than picking someone at the start of their career who has unknown glorious things ahead.
Edit: Would maybe add that in the interviews where I've heard Vrabel talk about his career my impression is that Vrabs self-image is along the lines of "I was a mediocre talent who busted his ass to overachieve what you'd expect someone like me to accomplish." If that's right, I can imagine Vrabs looking at all the work Terrell has put in over the decades and seeing a version of what he admires in himself
Nothing wrong with that, if true. (And it might not be true)
This hire parallel's someone like a Romeo Crennel minus the prior super bowls and super bowl appearances
Romeo was a ST coordinator (they didn't call it that back then) for 6 years, so he did have some non-DL experience.This hire parallel's someone like a Romeo Crennel minus the prior super bowls and super bowl appearances he had. Crennel didn't become a DC until he was 53 years old with Cleveland in 2000 before coming to New England. Prior to that from 1990-1999 with the Giants, Patriots and Jets he was the DL coach. Very similar to Williams who has been a DL coach since 2012 and will be 51 when he is the DC for the first time.
Seems popularIt will be interesting to see if Terrell Williams hiring will lead to some Detroit free agent signings. Guys like DL Levi Onwuzurike, LB Derrick Barnes, CB Carlton Davis, DB Ifeatu Melifonwu, DE Marcus Davenport are all unrestricted free agents. This is why I liked bringing coaches from outside the building as they have built relationships with other players across the NFL. That never happened with Mayo or any of the defensive staff.
LOLIMO the punch needs more rum.
I think the trend is, when he’s had good talent at DT, he’s been able to get strong performance from the unitSince he seemed to largely be responsible for the run game, I looked up his teams numbers against the run throughout his NFL career when I heard his name a few days ago. Wasn't blown away with most of his career numbers - some top 10, some bottom 10 - but his last 2 years in Tennessee and last few years in Detroit all produced top 5 rush defenses (except for this year in DET, which can probably be excused with all the injuries.).
There did appear to be a trend where the longer he stayed with the team, the better the team tended to play against the run (Oakland, Miami, and Tennesee all kind of followed this pattern).
I'm mostly a scotch guy this time of year, do like bourbon though. If you do need to punch up the punch bowl, Plantation makes this rum, "OFTD" that is 138 proof and is delicious and works well as a mixer, sipped very slowly, or as a BBQ fire starter.LOL
I'm more of bourbon guy, but there's a time and place for the classics
138 proof
I remember Glenn making similar statements in one of his interviews. Wonder who might have influenced who on this.
kind of doubt Simmons will get moved.3 things I immediately thought of with this hiring:
#1 - It reiterates what Vrabel has said a few times now - he wants to dominate the line of scrimmage, get pressure on the opposing QB and protect his own.
#2 - I recall Vrabel having Williams coach a pre-season game in '23 with the Titans. I thought then it was an innovate idea from Vrabel to reward and provide a meaningful opportunity to a coach he clearly thought highly of. For Williams it indicated an ability to take on more.
#3 - I wonder if the Pats find a way to get Simmons from the Titans. Here's what he said about Williams in 2023 when he was coaching that pre-season game: "
Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons gave his endorsement for Williams as a future head coach.
"I respect Coach T so much, and it's not just about the game of football," Simmons said. "You have to be able to connect with your players. Coach T is a helluva coach, a smart coach. I fully expect him to be a head coach in this league eventually."
Levi Onwuzurike would be someone I’d target on Day 1 of free agency to bring in a solid culture building player.kind of doubt Simmons will get moved.
Levi Onwuzurike was already an interesting FA this offseason, now moves up the list...history of injury concerns and not really a sack producer probably keeps his price reasonable, but he's a versatile DE/DT (6'3" 290) who grades out well against both run and pass. Basically a younger Wise upgrade.
There isn't really any indication that was the choice... most sources had Sheppard as the internal frontrunner in DET. Williams could have held out hoping Sheppard took a job externally and that Campbell went with him over an external candidate (or O'Neil or Corrao), but given that Sheppard has been with Campbell for his whole time there and Williams was new....... a guaranteed job over a pretty uncertain one was the no brainer mover.I think this is a great hire. And the fact that he wanted to come here instead of getting promoted to DC in Detroit shows how much guys want to work with Vrabel. I’m expecting a lot more free agents to want to come here this March as opposed to last March.
I misread your earlier post, I thought you meant that Shefter said that Williams was the front runner for Detroit DC.There isn't really any indication that was the choice... most sources had Sheppard as the internal frontrunner in DET. Williams could have held out hoping Sheppard took a job externally and that Campbell went with him over an external candidate (or O'Neil or Corrao), but given that Sheppard has been with Campbell for his whole time there and Williams was new....... a guaranteed job over a pretty uncertain one was the no brainer mover.
Thanks for the background.Terrell Williams: A Comprehensive Biography
Early Life and Education
Terrell Williams was born on June 19, 1974, in Los Angeles, California. Growing up in a city renowned for its rich sports culture, Williams developed an early passion for football. This enthusiasm led him to pursue the sport at the collegiate level. He attended East Carolina University, where he played as a nose guard for the Pirates. During his tenure, he was instrumental in the team's victory over Stanford at the Liberty Bowl in 1995. Williams graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications, complemented by a minor in history.
Snip
It will be interesting to see if Terrell Williams hiring will lead to some Detroit free agent signings. Guys like DL Levi Onwuzurike, LB Derrick Barnes, CB Carlton Davis, DB Ifeatu Melifonwu, DE Marcus Davenport are all unrestricted free agents. This is why I liked bringing coaches from outside the building as they have built relationships with other players across the NFL. That never happened with Mayo or any of the defensive staff.
I like this comparison a lot, especially since:This hire parallel's someone like a Romeo Crennel minus the prior super bowls and super bowl appearances he had. Crennel didn't become a DC until he was 53 years old with Cleveland in 2000 before coming to New England. Prior to that from 1990-1999 with the Giants, Patriots and Jets he was the DL coach. Very similar to Williams who has been a DL coach since 2012 and will be 51 when he is the DC for the first time.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6080411/2025/01/22/terrell-williams-hired-lions-patriots/Vrabel hired Williams as the Titans’ defensive line coach in 2018, then promoted him in 2023 to assistant head coach. Vrabel thought so highly of Williams that he made Williams the team’s head coach for a 2023 preseason game to get him more exposure and experience.
“The respect I have for him, the way that he goes about his business, the way he treats people, the way he treats coaches and players, he has a great grasp of it,” Vrabel told The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt in November. “He got along and had relationships with offensive coaches, special teams coaches, defensive coaches. He knows what he believes. He’s a good football coach, a great husband, great father.
“I relied on Big T a lot to help me on guys that I couldn’t reach or I was having trouble with or he had a better relationship with than I did. He cared about the team. It wasn’t like he just cared about the D-line.”
After Vrabel didn’t land a head-coaching job last year, Williams worked as the Detroit Lions’ run game coordinator and defensive line coach. Now he’s reuniting with Vrabel in a role where his work will be cut out for him.
...
In Detroit, Williams joins the list of assistants head coach Dan Campbell will have to replace. After losing offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to the Chicago Bears and with defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn expected to depart as well, Williams’ exit looms large. He worked with Campbell in Miami years ago, and Campbell often called him the best defensive line coach in the league.
Lions players praised Williams’ teaching style and ability to communicate — particularly star pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson, when healthy.