Former Panthers assistant HC/RB coach Duce Staley joining Browns

The Duce is no longer on the loose.

As first reported by CBS Sports senior NFL insider Josina Anderson, former Carolina Panthers assistant head coach/running backs coach Duce Staley is set to join the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland.com Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot then seconded the report just minutes later.

The West Columbia, S.C. native was hired by the Panthers during the reconstruction of their coaching staff last offseason. But Staley wouldn’t last long—as he, head coach Frank Reich and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown were dismissed following the team’s Week 12 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

Before coming back home, Staley built up one heck of a reputation on the NFL sidelines. He served as the special teams quality control coach, running backs coach and assistant head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles between 2011 and 2020 and as the assistant head coach and running backs coach for the Detroit Lions between 2021 and 2022.