NFL
NFL Execs Believe Nathan Scheelhaase Could Be the League’s Next “It” Head Coach
Los Angeles Rams are preparing for the imminent departure of offensive coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase, who has drawn significant interest for head coaching roles thanks to his impressive coaching skills. With a strong offense led by MVP quarterback Matt Stafford, the Rams remain top contenders for the Super Bowl. Scheelhaase is highly valued by players and officials, and is seen as the next in line to become an NFL head coach under Sean McVay's guidance.
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The Los Angeles Rams were able to retain hotshot offensive assistant Nathan Scheelhaase after he generated significant head coaching interest this winter, but are already bracing for his departure in 2027, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
Word of how well Scheelhaase, a former college quarterback at Illinois, came across in his rounds of interviews in the past few weeks got back to the Rams, and with head coach Sean McVay’s coaching family tree always the most in-demand in the NFL, several of the people involved in his candidacy this year fully expect him to be coaching an NFL team next year.
Perfect Situation
The Rams were quick to promote Scheelhaase to offensive coordinator, a role many in the organization anticipate he will only hold for one season before departing like so many of McVay’s assistants in the past.
McVay is arguably the premier offensive mind in the game and the return of MVP quarterback Matt Stafford has the Rams among the betting favorites to compete for a Super Bowl again.
The offense is primed to rack up yards and points and even an injury to Stafford and something of a down year for the Rams seems unlikely to mitigate the considerable steam that Scheelhouse garnered through this coaching cycle where multiple teams wanted to speak with him multiple times about their opening.
Rams players and officials think extremely highly of him, and he will now be working even more closely than ever for McVay.
“There’s not going to be another 10 openings, but that’s not going to matter anyway,” said a team official who met with the coordinator this offseason.
“He’s being groomed by McVay for this... He’s going to get one. Very impressive.”
Another exec who met with Scheelhaase said: “Sean has the right pixie dust. It’s like a coaching factory out there.”
Since McVay took over as the youngest coach in the league with the Rams in 2017 he’s had Brandon Staley, Raheem Morris, Zac Taylor, Matt LaFleur and Kevin O’Connell leave to become head coaches elsewhere. It’s likely not that long at all until Scheelhouse is the next.
La Canfora has covered over 20 Super Bowls and League Meetings and NFL drafts, building a wide network of sources throughout all aspects of the game. He was an award winning print journalist as well, working at The Detroit Free Press and The Baltimore Sun prior to his first stint at The Washington Post. He has covered sporting events around the world, including two Winter Olympics and all of the 2006 World Cup. He attended his first NFL game in 1978, and would soon kindle what has become a lifelong love and appreciation of the sport. La Canfora is also a professional handicapper, specializing in the NFL, creating a daily sports wagering game show - "Wanna Bet?" He also hosts nationally broadcast NFL radio shows in the US, as well as a daily sports radio show in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland.