Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase has made a name for himself around NFL circles.
Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase has made a name for himself around NFL circles.
Scheelhaase was among the top candidates for numerous NFL head coaching vacancies this offseason. While he didn’t land a job in that department this offseason, there is a great chance his opportunity will come sooner rather than later.
He’s certainly on that track as Scheelhaase is part of this year’s revamped accelerator program. The NFL’s revamped accelerator program, which was created in 2022, took a hiatus last season, but will now return at the NFL owners meeting in Orlando, Florida, on Monday and Tuesday.
This program features 34 notable names across football and was created to highlight executives and coaches and their readiness to take the next leap in their respective positions.
As the NFL put it:
"The May accelerator is intended to focus on advancing talent from underrepresented groups," the NFL wrote in a March memo addressed to all 32 teams, "while remaining open to qualified senior-level candidates of all backgrounds."
Regarding Scheelhaase, the 35-year-old offensive coordinator will enter his third season in Los Angeles this fall. It will be his first time running the show on offense, as he served as an offensive assistant and passing game specialist in 2024 before earning a promotion to pass game coordinator in 2025.
For the past two seasons, the Rams' offense has developed into one of the league’s best, especially in 2025. Los Angeles ranked first in total offense as it featured one of the NFL's elite passing attacks led by MVP Matthew Stafford.
Stafford played a major role in that success, and the coaching staff behind the scenes deserves credit as well — including Scheelhaase.
The Rams were firing on all cylinders last season, averaging 276.9 passing yards per game, finishing with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns through the air. Their play-action attack was dominant with Stafford completing a record 214 play-action passes for 1,786 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Los Angeles fielded one of the most explosive offenses in football, and the expectation is for that production to continue into 2026 now that Scheelhaase is leading the offense.
The Rams have high expectations this season. They hold the most primetime games this upcoming season, with seven, and that number could climb as high as nine with their final two matches of the season being set as flex games.
Scheelhaase has all the traits to one day run his own team. He’s been on a fast-track rise with the Rams under head coach Sean McVay. That alone carries a lot of weight as McVay’s assistants and coordinators have been able to land and secure jobs across the league.
The biggest thing working for Scheelhaase is his adaptability. He’s climbed up the ranks quickly due to his ability to showcase that he can handle more each year. If the Rams prove to be an elite offense or even better than 2025, Scheelhaase will be the top candidate for a head coaching position in 2027.
Considering he was already up for head coaching positions during the 2026 offseason, he may not stick around much longer as a coordinator for the Rams.
