The Los Angeles Rams have elevated assistant coach Nate Scheelhaase to the role of offensive coordinator, according to a source familiar with the decision who spoke with The Associated Press on Friday.
The source requested anonymity since the Rams have not yet officially announced head coach Sean McVay’s complete coaching staff for the coming season. Scheelhaase steps into the position left vacant when Mike LaFleur departed this month to take over as Arizona Cardinals head coach.
At 35 years old, Scheelhaase has emerged as a highly sought-after coaching talent in NFL circles over the past season. He participated in interviews for no fewer than five head coaching openings during the last two months. For the past two seasons, he served as a key offensive aide under both McVay and LaFleur, earning the pass game coordinator title last year as the Rams posted a 14-6 record and advanced to the NFC championship game.
While McVay continues to handle play-calling duties and oversee offensive design for Los Angeles, Scheelhaase becomes the fifth person to hold the offensive coordinator position during McVay’s decade-long tenure as head coach. Each of the four previous assistants in this role has advanced to become a head coach, as has former Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Taylor.
These five former top Rams assistants — Matt LaFleur, Taylor, Kevin O’Connell, Liam Coen and Mike LaFleur — continue to serve as head coaches today. This number could have been higher, but McVay operated without a designated offensive coordinator for two seasons following Matt LaFleur’s exit.
Scheelhaase, who played quarterback at Illinois during his college career, worked under Matt Campbell at Iowa State from 2018 through 2023. He rose to become the Cyclones’ offensive coordinator in his final year there, orchestrating a significant turnaround that drew McVay’s notice.
During his time in Los Angeles, Scheelhaase handled the detailed task of creating visual diagrams of offensive plays for the team’s weekly game preparations — a meticulous responsibility previously managed by several Rams assistants who later secured prominent positions elsewhere.
Last season, the Rams operated what many considered the NFL’s most effective offense, topping the league in both points scored and total offensive yards during regular season play with AP NFL MVP Matthew Stafford leading the unit. Stafford has confirmed his return for what will be his 18th NFL campaign. The Rams are expected to be among the top contenders for a Super Bowl appearance at their home venue, SoFi Stadium, in February 2027.
