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Browns Make Huge Hire for Coaching Staff

After shaking up their coaching staff last week, the Cleveland Browns have hired Duce Staley as the new running back coach, per insider Mary Kay Cabot.

By Devon Platana

Duce Staley will serve as the Browns' running back coaching beginning with the 2024 season.
Duce Staley will serve as the Browns' running back coaching beginning with the 2024 season. / Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
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One week after firing three coaching staff members, the Cleveland Browns are already set to bring in a new face to Kevin Stefanki's crew.

Sources close to team insider Mary Kay Cabot indicate that the Browns are expected to hire Duce Staley as their new running backs coach. The 48-year-old served as an assistant head coach and RB coach for the Carolina Panthers for part of the 2023 NFL season.

Browns News: Cleveland Expected to Hire Duce Staley as RB Coach

Cabot adds that the Browns offered Staley the RB coaching job following a successful interview last Wednesday. The decision came after the team relieved Stump Mitchell — who served on Stefanski's staff since 2019 — of his duties last Thursday.

It'll be interesting to see what Staley can do with the Browns' backfield next season. Despite losing Nick Chubb to a season-ending knee injury in Week 2, Cleveland's RB room — composed of Jerome Ford, Pierre Strong, and Kareem Hunt — still managed to average 118.6 rushing yards per game (12th) while recording 15 TDs on the ground (T-9th).

If anyone knows about running the ball, it's Staley.

The former 1997 third-rounder played 10 NFL seasons between the Philadelphia Eagles and rival Pittsburgh Steelers, racking up 5,785 rushing yards and 24 TDs on 114 carries. While he was never the best player at his position, he still hit the 1,000-yard mark three times and even won a Super Bowl with the Steelers in 2006.

After his playing career ended, Staley joined the Eagles coaching staff in 2011 as a special teams quality control coach. He also worked as an RB coach (2013 to 2020) and assistant head coach (2018 to 2020), and even received another ring when Philadelphia won Super Bowl LII.

Staley went on to serve as an assistant HC/RB coach for the Detroit Lions in 2021 and 2022 before taking the same roles with the Panthers for the 2023 campaign. Unfortunately, his stint in Carolina didn't last long as he was fired following a 1-10 start to the season.

Nevertheless, the Browns have a much more talented RB room and offensive line than the Panthers, meaning it's more than appropriate to be excited about Staley's potential impact next season.

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