For the fourth time, Duce Staley is interviewing for a promotion with the Eagles.
Staley, who’s spent most of the last 23 years here as a player and assistant coach, is interviewing for the Eagles’ head coaching job on Friday, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark.
Staley is scheduled to meet with owner Jeff Lurie, general manager Howie Roseman, team president Don Smolenski and others in the Eagles’ search committee at Lurie's winter compound in Palm Beach, Florida.
Staley also interviewed for the head coaching job in 2016 and for offensive coordinator in 2018 and 2020.
The 45-year-old Staley is the fourth candidate known to have interviewed with the Eagles.
They also interviewed 49ers coach Robert Saleh, who the Jets hired Thursday night, Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady and Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who reportedly got an offer from the Falcons. They’re also scheduled to interview Patriots inside linebacker coach Jerod Mayo on Friday.
Staley, the Eagles’ 3rd-round pick in 1997, is the 5th-leading rusher in Eagles history with 4,807 yards in seven seasons, trading only LeSean McCoy, Wilbert Montgomery, Brian Westbrook and Steve Van Buren. He also spent two years with the Steelers, winning a Super Bowl in 2005, before retiring after the 2006 season.
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He began his coaching career in 2011 as a special teams quality control coach under Andy Reid and then was not only retained by Chip Kelly in 2013 but promoted to running backs coach and then retained in 2016 by Doug Pederson and promoted to assistant head coach and running backs coach in 2018.
Staley is the only person in history to spend at least seven years as a player and as a coach with the Eagles.
He played under Sean Payton, Jon Gruden and Reid and coached under Reid, Kelly and Pederson, so that’s a lot of different and highly regarded offensive philosophies he’s been a part of.
When Pederson missed 10 days of training camp in August, it was Staley that led the team at practice.
Running back Corey Clement is among those who believes Staley would make a terrific head coach.
“He has my vote,” Clement said back in the summer. “Duce Staley, even though he’s a running backs coach, he definitely prides himself on being a leader all-around and that’s what you have to respect from Duce. He knows what he’s talking about and he knows how to go about his business. With the absence of Doug we didn’t miss a beat. Duce did a great job of making sure the team stayed together, realizing that we still have the end (goal) and that’s to win the Super Bowl regardless of whether Doug is in the building or not. Duce definitely has my vote for a future head coach.”
Among the other known candidates the Eagles have expressed interest in are Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, Ohio State coach Ryan Day, Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley and Chiefs quarterbacks coach Mike Kafka.
With the Jets locking in Saleh and the Jaguars hiring former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, the Chargers, Falcons, Lions, Texans and Eagles are still in the market for a head coach.
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