Insider celebrates unsung Patriots hero of Super Bowl run

The New England Patriots chase their seventh Super Bowl title without Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, etc. Past title winner Mike Vrabel rebranded the 2025 “Patriot Way” with new stars. Including an “unsung hero” as one insider hailed Wednesday.

Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network believes a non-player during this latest Pats run deserves his roses: Zak Kuhr, the defensive coordinator. Garafolo reminded viewers that Kuhr needed to step in as Terrell Williams battled cancer.

“He was thrust into the play calling role,” Garafolo shared. “And when you look at his resume coming in here, he was a former offensive coach. Then he’s a defensive quality control coach. Then to an inside linebacker’s assistant. He wasn’t even a full blown positions coach.”

One of the unsung heroes. https://t.co/cwDsDKZ6u3

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 5, 2026

Yet Kuhr rises as one of the “under appreciated” stories in all of the NFL this season per Garafolo’s words.

How ‘unsung’ Patriots hero turned loose defense

The 37-year-old Kuhr indeed endured quite the trajectory into the big game spotlight.

He started his journey at the high school level in Florida — where he became Mandarin High’s offensive coordinator during the mid 2000s. Kuhr later became an intern at Vrabel’s college alma mater Ohio State in 2011.

Kuhr never earned his first NFL chance until 2020 when Vrabel led the Tennessee Titans (Kuhr was defensive quality control coach there). He led the inside linebackers this season before Williams’ ailment.

But Kuhr leaned into the former linebacker in igniting the Patriots defense. Kuhr helped call a versatile attacking scheme that called for penetrating gaps on the line of scrimmage and taking advantage of the athleticism at linebacker.

Kuhr helped get edge rushers and the interior defensive line to simply play upfield over reacting to plays. New England also tossed out using a six-defensive back dime look and trusted having five DBs instead on the field. This approach still mixed man coverage with quarters coverage to confuse opposing quarterbacks.

Williams plans to join the team at the Super Bowl. But Kuhr will remain the play-caller in the attempt to secure an NFL record seventh championship for the Pats.

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