The Detroit Lions coaching staff took a pretty significant hit this week when news broke that running backs coach/assistant head coach Duce Staley is leaving for a role with the Carolina Panthers. It’s unclear if he’ll be taking the offensive coordinator role there, which would represent a significant promotion for Staley, but according to the Detroit News, part of the motivation for Staley is to be with his ailing mother.
Regardless, the Lions now have a significant role to fill. Their running game is paramount to the Lions’ offensive success and with a relatively young set of running backs, they’ll need a coach that comes with just as much passion as Staley.