New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel provided an unfortunate medical update on defensive coordinator Terrell Williams on Friday. The 51-year-old Williams, who had been away from the team the last two weeks for an undisclosed medical issue, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

"I unfortunately have to tell you that Terrell Williams was determined to have prostate cancer and is in the process of treatment," Vrabel announced Friday. "He's meeting with specialists to figure out the best plan of attack, to attack this and heal it and fix it and allow him to get back to better health.

"You know how much Terrell means to me personally and those on this football team," continued Vrabel. "We want to send our regards and just publicly let everyone know that's what he's dealing with."

Vrabel said inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr will continue to call defensive plays for the Patriots, as he has the last two weeks in place of Williams.

"That went well and the communication through the week in the organization hasn't missed a beat. Those guys are doing great over there," Vrabel said of his defensive staff. "I'm really comfortable with where we're at and how we're operating."

Mike Vrabel on Terrell Williams

Williams also missed some time during New England's offseason program to deal with a medical matter back home in Michigan. Vrabel said Williams will likely undergo his cancer treatment locally in New England.

"I don't know if you can get any better anywhere else. The medical staff and the people in this town have been fantastic to help him and get him started with that process," Vrabel said Friday.

Williams was able to work with the Patriots' defense remotely over the summer and he continued to help behind the scenes over the last two weeks. Vrabel said Williams will continue to be around as much as his treatment allows him to be.

"As much as he can, and that would be speculation based on how he feels and what his treatment entails," said Vrabel. "That's really where it is. If he feels good enough to come in and contribute and add value, we want him to be able to do that."

Williams has been by Vrabel's side since his time as head coach in Tennessee. 

"You have to have people that you trust implicitly that are loyal, and he's been that," Vrabel said of Williams. "When you get into a sh--storm, like you do in a season, he has the ability to reach everybody and it always kept me in perspective. He was always willing to share his thoughts with me if I needed a guardrail. Going through this thing for the fist time and having guys like him with me, they're very conscience of their ability to help me do my job and to help the team."

Prostate cancer tends to affect Black men more

A new American Cancer Society report finds rates of prostate cancer increased 3% a year from 2014 to 2021.

Doctors said the tricky thing about prostate cancer is you may not even know you have it. Dr. Jai Eswara, the Chair of Urology at Tufts Medical Center, said screening is critical.

"Most prostate cancers present with no symptoms at all," said Eswara. "I think that screening for diagnosing prostate cancer is something that can save your life and not only save your life, but it has a profound effect in your family as well."

Doctors at Dana-Farber said about 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime and for African-American men, they're at higher risk, it's about 1 in 6 men diagnosed.

"Most men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die of the disease," said Dr. Atish Choudhury, medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

It's now recommended most men get screened for prostate cancer at age 50, for most Black men at 45 and men with relatives with prostate cancer at 40.

"The average age of developing prostate cancer in the United States is about 70. So, developing prostate cancer at age 51 is on the younger side," said Choudhury. "We often do see this in African-American men that they do present at a little bit of a younger age and so that's why the recommendation for screening does start at an earlier age for men of African ancestry."