Philadelphia Eagles news 2016: Former running back Duce Staley interviewed for head coaching job

Lincoln Financial FieldWikimedia Commons/Betp

The Philadelphia Eagles ended the season on a good note with a win over the New York Giants but still have an issue at the head coaching position. Such is why last Friday, running backs coach Duce Staley interviewed for the vacant position. 

Days before the game versus the Giants which is Philadelphia's season closer, Chip Kelly, who was the head coach of the team since 2013, was fired following a Week 16 defeat to the Washington Redskins that crushed their playoff chances. 

This season is the second consecutive that the Eagles were unable to make it to the postseason. 

Replacing Kelly temporarily was Pat Shurmur who was the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and is the Eagles' offensive coordinator. 

Now, Staley is trying to get the head coaching job with the Eagles, a team he played for from 1997 to 2003, before joining the Pittsbugh Steelers and ending his National Football League (NFL) playing career with the team. 

Staley, 40, became part of Philadelphia's coaching staff in 2010 and was promoted to running backs coach in 2013.

According to ESPN, Staley is a favorite of Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, who also said firing Kelly before the season ends is an opportunity for them to start looking for a new head coach. 

Along with Shurmur and Staley as early candidates for the Eagles head coaching position, Philly.com reported that according to sources, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton and Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh are on top of Lurie's wish list.

Payton guided the Saints to a 7–9 record this 2015 season for the third spot in the National Football Conference (NFC) South, while Harbaugh helped Baltimore to a 5–11 record in the American Football Conference (AFC) North. 

No significant move has been made yet by the Eagles to address the vacancy at the head coaching position as they will likely continue the search for the best coach for the job.