By Mark Eckel | Engagement Insider
“Never,’’ Duce Staley responds to the question if he ever thought about becoming a coach during his 10-year playing career as a running back for the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers. Here he is seven years after his final carry and in his fifth year as an Eagles assistant coach and his second in charge of the running backs under head coach Chip Kelly.
“I fell in love with it,’’ Staley says now. “Being back in the game, being involved, getting to work with guys like LeSean McCoy. I really do love it.’’
Let’s back up a few years to see how a guy who had no intention of coaching has become a coach you might want to keep your eye on over the next few seasons.
"When I was playing, coaching was really the furthest thing on my mind,’’ Staley said. “All you heard was the horror stories, the long hours, all of that. I always thought that’s not for me, I’ll just do something else when I’m finished playing.’’
And he did.
When injuries short-circuited his career in 2006, his third year in Pittsburgh, he returned home to South Carolina, where he began a radio and broadcast career with the Gamecocks football program.
“That was fun,’’ Staley said. “I thought I could do that. Every once in a while I would come back to Philadelphia and coach (Andy) Reid would see me and tell me I should try the minority coaching internship.’’
In the summer of 2010, he took Reid up on his offer and worked the team’s training camp at Lehigh University. When camp ended a strange thing happened that changed Staley’s career plans.
“We were leaving camp and I went over to coach Reid to say thank you,’’ Staley said. “He looked at me and said ‘you’re not going anywhere, you’re hired.’ It took me by surprise a little bit.’’
Staley’s first season he wasn’t much more than an intern. Then for two years, under Reid, he became an assistant special teams coach with long-time coach Bobby April and also helped his running backs coach when he played, Ted Williams, at his old position.
When Reid was fired after the 2012 season, Staley wasn’t sure what was next for him. Would his old coach take him with him to Kansas City? Would the Eagles new coach keep him in Philadelphia? Would he be out of job all together?
“In this business you’re always worried,’’ he said. “I was lucky. Right after coach Reid left, Mr. (Jeffrey) Lurie (the Eagles owner) called me and told me how much he believed in me and that he would suggest to the new coach I stay. I was really thankful for that.’’
When Kelly took over as Eagles head coach in January of 2103 not only did he keep Staley, he promoted him. Williams moved back to his old position as tight ends coach and Staley became the Eagles running backs coach. Those two were the only assistants the new coach kept from the old staff.
“Chip offered me the opportunity,’’ Staley said, “and I jumped at it.’’
In his first year as a running backs coach, Staley watched McCoy become the first Eagle to lead the league in rushing since Steve Van Buren in 1949; and break the team’s single-season rushing record with 1,607 yards.
Young backs Bryce Brown (4.2 yards per carry on 75 carries) and Chris Polk (98 yards and three touchdowns on just 11 carries) also flourished under Staley’s guidance.
“We have a great room,’’ Staley said. “McCoy is just so driven and then that rubs off the other guys, Bryce Brown and Chris and Matthew Tucker. The guys challenge each other, and that’s a great thing. Now, we picked up Darren Sproles (in a trade with New Orleans), I can’t wait to get to work with him.’’
As a player, Staley carried the Eagles through some rough years, gaining over 1,000 yards rushing in the three-win season of 1998 and again in the five-win season in 1999. He was there when things turned around and was a major part of the three straight NFC Championship Game appearances from 2001-03.
When the Eagles finally made it to the Super Bowl after the 2004 season, he was in Pittsburgh. But fate smiled on him when he got his Super Bowl ring a year later with the Steelers.
Still he always thought of himself as an Eagle. And even now when he comes onto the field in his coaching gear, you hear chants of “Duuuuuuuuuce’’ from the Lincoln Financial Field crowds.
“I’m not saying I couldn’t coach somewhere else,’’ Staley said. “But it helps a lot to be back here. The owner, management knows me, remembers me as a player, and respects what I can do. And the city, I love Philadelphia.’’
And five years in, he loves coaching.