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What does 'T-Strong' mean? Patriots paying homage to DC Terrell Williams battling prostate cancer originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New England Patriots spent most of the 2025 season without their defensive coordinator.
Terrell Williams was hired to be Mike Vrabel's defensive coordinator in his first season in New England. After Week 2, Williams had to take a leave of absence from the team. Initially, it was unknown why he was away from the franchise, but then Vrabel announced that Williams had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and would be away from the team for the foreseeable future.
Williams missed the remainder of the regular season coaching, but he would often make it to the team's office for defensive meetings. He also spoke with the team ahead of their Wild Card game against the Los Angeles Chargers and made the trip with New England to San Francisco ahead of its matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
Here is more on the meaning behind "T-Strong" for the Patriots.
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What does 'T-Strong' mean?
Whenever a tragedy happens, support is built for it, usually through a phrase that includes the word strong. When the Boston Marathon bombing occurred, it was "Boston Strong," and when Chuck Pagano was dealing with acute promyelocytic leukemia, the Indianapolis Colts garnered support through their "Chuckstrong" campaign.
"T-Strong" refers to the support that the Patriots wanted to create and garner for Williams during his battle with prostate cancer.
Mike Vrabel 'T-Strong' patch
While the players and coaches have been seen in T-Strong shirts, head coach Mike Vrabel put his own spin on the support. He added "T-Strong" to his vest that he has been wearing while coaching.
You can see the patch when Vrabel does his postgame press conferences.
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Patriots 'T-Strong' shirts
Patriots players wore T-Strong T-shirts during pre-game warm-ups ahead of a Week 4 matchup with the Carolina Panthers. The shirts were white with the Patriots logo on the chest. Underneath the logo is the term T Strong written in light blue lettering.
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What happened to Terrell Williams?
Vrabel announced that Williams was diagnosed with prostate cancer early in the 2025 season. This caused the defensive coordinator to take a step back from his duties with the team so that he could undergo treatment starting in September. While he was on his leave of absence, inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr took over as the Patriots' defensive play caller.
Williams talked about finding out he had cancer. He had a really bad stomach bug and Vrabel suggested he talk to the medical staff who referred him to urgent care.
Williams said, "As they were doing tests, that’s when they found out about the cancer, so thank God that I had the stomach flu because if I didn’t, it just would have been business as usual."
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Terrell Williams prostate cancer
Williams returned to the franchise's practice facility ahead of New England's wild-card game against the Los Angeles Chargers. He didn't resume coaching, but he was around the team.
The defensive coordinator joined the Patriots in San Francisco ahead of Super Bowl 60. He reminded the media at the beginning of the week that he is, in fact, cancer-free, which he found out right after the regular season ended in early January.
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Doctors initially thought that he had a lymphoma because the cancer had spread throughout his body, but further testing determined it was an aggressive form of prostate cancer.
About his experience, he said, "All of the doctors, all of the nurses at Mass General, and everyone that's taken blood samples, all the people there, they're so important and good at what they do. I appreciate those guys. And I appreciate this organization and the people of New England. When I say that, I mean it. I'm just shocked at how kind the people are up here. And it's been unbelievable.”
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