Allen Park — The Detroit Lions moved quickly to find a replacement for Duce Staley. The team is hiring former Colts running backs coach Scottie Montgomery to fill the void on the team’s coaching staff, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.
The news was first reported by the NFL Network.
Montgomery, a former NFL wide receiver, played three seasons with the Denver Broncos after going undrafted out of Duke in 2000. After finishing his playing career in the Arena Football League in 2005, he joined his alma mater’s coaching staff as a wide receivers coach in 2006.
Montgomery remained at Duke for three years before taking the same title with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2009, briefly coaching current Lions receivers coach Antwaan Randle El in 2010.
After three seasons with the Steelers, Montgomery returned to Duke once again to serve as coach David Cutcliffe’s assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. His success in that role led to a head-coaching opportunity at East Carolina from 2016-18.
Fired from that school after three seasons, Montgomery spent two years as Maryland’s offensive coordinator before returning to the NFL with the Colts in 2021. There, he coached the running-back position for the first time in his career.
Like Staley, Montgomery will also carry the assistant head coach title in Detroit. Staley was recently permitted by the Lions to depart for a coaching role with Montgomery’s former boss in Indianapolis, Frank Reich.
Under Montgomery, and led by All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor, the Colts averaged 5.1 yards per carry in 2021, topping the NFL. That figure dipped to 4.3 yards per carry with Taylor battling injuries that limited him to 11 games and 192 carries in 2022.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers