Running back Miles Sanders is playing for a new team in 2023, but he has a familiar face to turn to on the Panthers coaching staff.
Duce Staley reunited with his former colleague Frank Reich when he accepted an offer to become the assistant head coach and running backs coach in Carolina. The two men were on the Eagles staff together in 2016 and 2017 and Staley went on to coach Sanders during the running back’s first two NFL seasons.
Sanders was back in the Philadelphia area for a football camp this week and said he has “good memories” of his time with the Eagles. Some of those memories include Staley and helped steer him toward the Panthers once he hit free agency.
“He means a lot. I swear,” Sanders said, via Josh Tolentino of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “He’s probably the main reason I came back. I have that connection with him. I know how he coaches. I know that he’s going to be the best out of me. Most importantly, he knows what I’m about, and he’s the one that drafted me. We’re going to get back to what we’ve been doing.”
Sanders showed the ability to be a quality back in the NFL under Staley, but never ran more than 179 times in a season. He showed the ability to be more of a workhorse with 259 carries last season and looks set to be the lead back in his reunion with Staley as well.
