Duce Staley was promoted to assistant head coach during the 2018 offseason and will continue working as the Eagles running backs coach, a position that he has held since 2013.
One of the most productive and toughest players to ever suit up in an Eagles uniform, Duce Staley originally joined the Eagles coaching staff as a coaching intern in 2010, worked as a special teams quality control coach for two seasons (2011-12) and has served as the team’s running backs coach since 2013.
Philadelphia ranks fifth in the NFL in rushing offense (127.9 yards per game) during Staley’s tenure as the Eagles running backs coach.
The Eagles ground game helped propel the team to its first Super Bowl title in 2017, as Philadelphia owned one of the most powerful rushing attacks in the NFL, ranking third overall in rushing offense (132.2 yards per game) and fourth in rushing average (4.47 yards per attempt). LeGarrette Blount led the Eagles with 766 rushing yards, which are the third-most ever by an Eagles running back age 30-or-older. Jay Ajayi, who was acquired in a trade with Miami in Week 9, ranked second among NFL running backs in rushing average (5.83) over the last eight games of the regular season (min. 70 attempts). Undrafted rookie Corey Clement led Philadelphia with four rushing touchdowns and added two receiving touchdowns, marking the most offensive touchdowns (six) by an Eagles rookie running back since 1953.
In 2015, Staley worked with two first-time Eagles running backs in DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews, as the duo became the first pair of Eagles backs with six-or-more rushing scores in a season since 2003. Additionally, Mathews ranked fourth in the NFL in yards per carry (5.08).
Under Staley’s direction in 2014, RB LeSean McCoy finished third in the league in rushing with 1,319 yards and second in rushing attempts with 312, en route to his second consecutive Pro Bowl berth. In Week 14, McCoy also broke Wilbert Mongtomery’s 30-year-old franchise rushing record of 6,538 yards. RB Darren Sproles doubled his previous career high in rushing touchdowns with six on the year, while RB Chris Polk added four touchdowns on only 46 carries.
In his first season coaching the team’s running backs in 2013, Staley was part of an offense that helped set franchise records in points (442 - broken in 2014), total net yards (6,676), touchdowns (53 - broken in 2014), passing yards (4,406 - broken in 2014) and fewest turnovers (19). With assistance from Staley, McCoy earned first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors for the second time in his career after leading the NFL in rushing yards (1,607) and scrimmage yards (2,146), while setting Eagles single-season records in both categories. In addition, McCoy became the first Eagle since Steve Van Buren in 1947 to lead the league in both rushing and yards from scrimmage.
Prior to coaching the Eagles running backs, Staley served as the team’s special teams quality control coach, assisting with both special teams as well as the team’s rushing corps. Staley played a key role in the development of McCoy as herecorded one of the most productive seasons by a running back in team history in 2011. McCoy shattered the team record for most touchdowns in a season (20), gained 1,309 yards on the ground, and earned first team All-Pro honors and his first Pro Bowl bid.
A multi-talented running back for the Eagles (1997-2003) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2004-06), Staley gained 5,785 yards during his career, including 4,807 with the Eagles (fifth most in team history). He also ranks sixth in the Eagles record book with 7,305 total yards from scrimmage and 16th with 275 receptions. He was voted by his teammates as the Eagles offensive MVP three times (1998, ‘99 and 2002) and earned a Super Bowl championship ring with the Steelers in 2005.
Staley was a third-round draft choice of the Eagles in 1997 out of South Carolina, where he rushed for 1,852 yards from 1995-96. He was elected to South Carolina’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012.
During his playing days, Staley was very active in the community as he worked with the Special Olympics and First Steps early childhood education program, and launched the Catch 22 Foundation to assist single mothers. In 2003, Staley also traveled to Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar as part of the USO to greet U.S. troops stationed abroad.
Staley is single and has a daughter, Shakia, and a son, Damani. He resides in Philadelphia. He was born on 2/27/75 in Tampla, FL.
