The original Duck Dynasty centered around Phil Robertson, the man behind the multi-million dollar empire of Duck Commander. The business was founded by the Robertson family patriarch in 1973 after he had invented his patented duck call a year before. What started as a small-town business that Phil ran from his beat-up Louisiana shed turned into a family legacy as Phil’s sons helped take Duck Dynasty to a whole new level of success.
Willie Robertson took over as CEO and expanded the brand nationwide, while Jase and Jep Robertson handled day-to-day operations on the field. Phil’s eldest son, Alan Robertson, initially pursued his own path to become a preacher. However, he rejoined the family business during Duck Dynasty Season 4 as a public relations executive, and brought a more spiritual voice to the show’s otherwise business-heavy narrative.
The Next Big ‘Duck Dynasty’ Star Is Not a Robertson
Now, the family’s brand-new show, Duck Dynasty: The Revival, premiered on June 1, 2025, shortly after Phil’s unfortunate death on May 25, 2025. Given Phil’s long battle with Alzheimer’s, it was a given that the revival would focus on his sons taking over Duck Commander. However, the beards are returning with some backup this time around because the revival will see the return of a familiar face who never originally got a lot of screen time.
Jay Stone, Alan’s son-in-law, has officially joined Duck Dynasty as the company’s production manager. Longtime fans of the original show will remember Stone for his comedic relief and knack for impersonating Uncle Si, which led him to record the audio version of Si’s book, Si-Cology 1. What most people don’t know, though, is that he has been tuning calls part-time and hunting with Duck Commander for the past 13 years.
In many ways, Stone’s background and passion make him the perfect man for the job. Before joining the company, the hunter was actually a coach and teacher, which perfectly mirrors Phil’s own career as a teacher before he started Duck Commander. Not to mention that Stone is a U.S. Army veteran who served a tour in Afghanistan. That kind of experience gives him the leadership experience and resilience that the company needs to navigate operations in Phil’s absence. An avid practitioner of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Stone has the determination and grit to uphold the Southern values that Phil’s business and media empire has always been rooted in.
The Revival Is Trying Its Best To Establish a New Identity
As per the Duck Commander website, Stone expressed his excitement about his brand-new role and expressed how blessed he is to have gotten the opportunity. In Stone’s exact words: “You can’t put a price on working alongside family and friends in a godly atmosphere.” However, none of this is all that new to Stone, who has been supplying the Robertson family with fresh crappie fillets for over 15 years now alongside John Godwin.
Stone’s addition stays true to the revival’s promise of focusing on the future of the business. This change is a true reflection of how family businesses actually evolve, with the younger generations taking the baton from their elders. After all, a revival that sticks to the old script might draw a few nostalgic viewers, but one that introduces fresh blood has a better chance at expanding its audience.
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Standing strong through goodbye.
Is Bringing in Jay Stone the Right Move for the Family Business?
As great as it is to have Stone’s familiar face be one of the main characters of Duck Dynasty: The Revival, it’s unusual for the show to shine all the spotlight on someone who isn’t even a Robertson. Sure, the original show was loved for its unfiltered look into the duck hunting industry. However, at its core, Duck Dynasty was a show about the Robertsons and their eccentric personalities. Bringing in Stone, a man who is part of the family, but at the same time, he’s not exactly a direct part of the Robertson legacy.
The seasoned hunter almost acts as a bridge between the old and the new. This way, the revival positions itself as more than just a continuation of the Robertson family’s story, and becomes more about the empire that they have built. While that does risk alienating longtime fans who were expecting the revival to be more about Phil’s sons and grandchildren, the show is keeping things realistic. Sometimes, the only way to keep a business running is to hand it over to someone outside the main bloodline, given that they are worthy of the honor.
