The Carolina Panthers just got themselves a home run hitter in running back Miles Sanders. Just ask Duce Staley.
On Wednesday, the team agreed to terms on a four-year, $25 million deal with the 25-year-old rusher. Sanders will now come over from the Philadelphia Eagles, where he spent two seasons under his former assistant head coach and running backs coach (and new assistant head coach and running backs coach) in Staley.
The two built a strong bond over in the City of Brotherly Love, so much so that Staley reportedly played a huge part in getting him to Carolina. And to get a taste of that connection, here’s what Staley had to say about Sanders’ big-play ability during the 2020 campaign.
“A guy with his ability being able to get in the open—he believes that no one can catch him. And that’s the kind of confidence you want in your running back,” he said.
“And I remember—I guess that was last year some time, I can’t remember what game it was—but I remember having a conversation with him. He broke loose and got caught. And I was like, ‘Wow, man.’ I said, ‘I thought you was gonna be able to go 70, go 80.’ He’s like, ‘Coach, I can! I promise you I can!’ So every time he breaks one this year, he comes up to me and was like ‘You wanna have a conversation,’ I was like, ‘Yeah, you right.'”
Sanders, who was in his second pro campaign at the time, finished the year with 867 rushing yards, six touchdowns and a gaudy 5.3 yards per attempt. He also made good on that promise, breaking out three runs of at least 70 yards.
Staley, in that same presser, then went on to talk about Sanders’ potential in the receiving game—something he’ll probably have to tap into for Carolina.
“He’s coming along,” he said of Sanders’ improvement as a pass catcher. “He’s working on it. He’s staying after, catching balls—which is the No. 1 thing. And catching different types of balls. Every ball’s not gonna be a spiral and every ball’s not gonna be perfect. You gotta catch low balls, high balls, over-the-shoulder balls. So you gotta kinda gotta give him different types of balls to catch. And he’s been doing a good job.
“Still a work in progress. And I’m glad he did admit that, and he’ll be the first to tell you. I tell him all the time—gotta continue to work on that, and he does.”
Sanders hasn’t been near the receiving threat he was in his rookie season, when he reeled in 50 balls for 509 yards and three touchdowns. In the three seasons since, he’s totaled 433 yards and no touchdowns on 74 grabs.
But, hey, at least Sanders and Staley will have plenty of time work on it again.
