Duce Staley to Join Panthers' Coaching Staff
Tuesday, Frank Reich was officially introduced as the sixth head coach in Carolina Panthers franchise history. One day later, he has his first commitment from an external assistant.
According to Dan Graziano of ESPN, Detroit Lions Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs coach Duce Staley is set join Reich's staff in Carolina.
Staley, 47, is a native of West Columbia, South Carolina and played his high school ball at West Columbia Airport. He stayed home to play for the South Carolina Gamecocks where he developed into a third round draft choice by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1997 NFL Draft.
Staley spent the first seven years of his playing career in Philly, rushing for a total of 4,807 yards and 22 touchdowns while hauling in 275 receptions for 2,498 yards and ten scores. He played the last three years of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2004-06 and was a part of their Super Bowl 40 championship team.
Staley got his start in coaching in Philadelphia in 2011 as a special teams quality control coach. Two years later, he landed a position group coaching the running backs and held that role through 2020 before adding "Assistant Head Coach" to his title.
Reich and Staley spent two seasons together with the Eagles (2016-17) and were on staff together for the Super Bowl team that defeated Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
Detroit ranked 18th in rushing yards per game (110.9) the year before Staley arrived. This season, the Lions jumped up to 11th averaging 128.2 yards per game.
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