Duce Staley Thrilled With Reich Reunion In Carolina
Duce Staley has joined the Carolina Panthers as assistant head coach to Frank Reich and running backs coach.
In doing so he reignites a connection with Reich that goes back to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016. Duce Staley worked under Reich when he was offensive coordinator for the Eagles.
In 2017, Philadelphia triumphed in Super Bowl LII after which Reich was made head coach of the Colts. Duce Staley joins Carolina from the Lions, who enjoyed something of a renaissance season last year.
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The Lions finished just shy of a playoff place one year after boasting the second-worst record in the league. After an exciting second half of the season, Detroit had a top-five offense and the 11th best rushing attack in the NFL.
“It feels good to be back close to home,” Staley said Thursday. “Just growing up as a kid, of course, being in South Carolina during the time, ’95, ’96, of course the Panthers got going there.
“As a kid, you always dream about if you play in the NFL, you want to play close to home. So, the Panthers was definitely one of those teams that I thought about that hopefully draft me. It didn’t happen, but here I am now.”
“First and foremost, Frank Reich,” Staley said when asked why he left Detroit for Carolina.
“Awesome human being. Was able to win a Super Bowl with him. We talked about my mom, of course. She’s my heart, she’s my rock. So if I had an opportunity to come home, I said to myself a long time ago I would.
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“But getting back to Frank, just being able to spend those years in Philadelphia with Frank Reich and win a Super Bowl, just to see him go out there and affect young men the way he did, it was awesome. And I said to myself I would love to have the opportunity to coach with him again.”
