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Rams To Promote Nate Scheelhaase To OC

By | at February 20, 2026 8:39 am

The Rams will take the expected route of promoting from within to fill the offensive coordinator spot. Nate Scheelhaase is in position to take on an elevated role in 2026.

Scheelhaase is being promoted to the role of offensive coordinator, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. He will serve as Mike LaFleur‘s replacement as a result. Schefter adds that quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone will maintain his current role while also having co-offensive coordinator added to his title.

During a head coaching hiring cycle dominated by staffers with a defensive background, Scheelhaase stood out. The 35-year-old has seen his stock rise considerably during a brief period. Only in place with the Rams since 2024 – his first foray into coaching at the NFL level – Scheelhaase was one of the most popular targets for HC interviews around the league last month.

After starting out at Illinois in 2015, Scheelhaase worked his way up the ladder at the NCAA level. He spent six years at Iowa State, working as the team’s offensive coordinator and QBs coach in 2023. That was followed by an arrival on Sean McVay‘s staff, something which has quickly resulted in an OC gig in the NFL. McVay will no doubt retain play-calling duties moving forward, but Scheelhaase will take on added responsibilities for 2026. He will look to become the latest member of the McVay coaching tree to elevate his standing around the league and land the opportunity to lead a staff elsewhere.

Ragone had been the only coach connected to the Rams’ OC vacancy since LaFleur departed to take charge of the Cardinals. After three years as the Falcons’ offensive coordinator under Arthur Smith, Ragone joined the Rams as their quarterbacks coach. He has played a key role in Matthew Stafford‘s ability to remain highly productive deep into his career, including an MVP campaign in 2025. The two will continue working together for at least one more year, but Ragone, 46, will also take on OC responsibilities for the first time since 2023.

The Rams averaged 30.5 points per game this season, good for first in the NFL. With Stafford set to return – likely on another reworked contract – expectations will remain very high for the unit. Continued efficiency would go a long way in setting Los Angeles up for another deep playoff run, and it would help Scheelhaase’s stock rise even further. A strong year with the title of offensive coordinator would no doubt lead to another wave of HC interest during the 2027 hiring cycle.

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Browns Hire Todd Monken As HC

By | at January 28, 2026 11:30 pm

11:30pm: Monken’s contract with the Browns will be five years in length, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. That has become the standard for new head coaching hires, with all of this year’s hires receiving a similar deal.

9:49am: Three-plus weeks after firing Kevin Stefanski, the Browns have found their next head coach. They’re hiring former Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. The Browns have officially announced the move.

After the Browns canned Stefanski on Jan. 5, they sent their first known external interview request to Monken the next day. He booked a second interview with the Browns on Jan. 20 and became a finalist for the position, joining defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase.

The Browns told Scheelhaase they were going in another direction this morning, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Scheelhaase will remain with the Rams in 2026, according to Fowler.

Schwartz had reportedly picked up momentum toward a promotion, but the Browns will instead go outside the organization and choose a fourth straight offensive-minded head coach. While Schwartz remains under contract with the Browns, there’s “no guarantee” he’ll stay in place, according to Fowler. Unsurprisingly, Schwartz is likely to draw widespread interest from across the NFL, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports relays.

With the 60-year-old Monken on his way in, the Browns haven’t hired a defense-first candidate since they handed the reins to Mike Pettine in 2014. Between Pettine’s two-year run and Stefanski’s six-season tenure, the Browns turned to Hue Jackson for a couple of disastrous campaigns and Freddie Kitchens during a one-and-done 2019. Monken was Cleveland’s offensive coordinator under Kitchens. The unit finished 22nd in scoring and total offense that year, making for an interesting reunion given the dysfunction that engulfed the Browns during Kitchens’ 2019 season in charge. Although Monken was not believed to be happy during that Kitchens-led season, he is coming back to Cleveland to run the show.

After his first stint with the Browns, Monken returned to the college ranks, where he has garnered most of his coaching experience since he began as a graduate assistant at Grand Valley State in 1989. Monken was Georgia’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2020-22, an eminently successful run in which the Bulldogs won two national championships.

Before the Browns brought him back, Monken spent the past three seasons running AFC North rival Baltimore’s offense. The Ravens boasted an elite offense during Monken’s first two years at the controls. Quarterback Lamar Jackson won the MVP award in 2023 and nearly repeated during a first-team All-Pro campaign in 2024. With injuries limiting Jackson to 13 games in 2025, the Ravens finished 11th in scoring and 16th in yards.

The Ravens fired head coach John Harbaugh after stumbling to an 8-9 record, and they didn’t interview Monken before hiring Jesse Minter. With Harbaugh now the Giants‘ head coach, it seemed likely Monken would follow him to New York as his offensive coordinator. Indeed, the team was “very confident” it would reel in Monken, per Connor Hughes of SNY. The Giants and Monken had even worked on a contract in recent days, Fowler adds, but Harbaugh will have to look elsewhere.

While Monken’s reputation as a coordinator precedes him, he’s largely an unknown as a head coach. His only experience in that position came with Southern Miss from 2013-15. The Golden Eagles combined for a dismal 4-20 mark in Monken’s first two seasons, but they made a huge leap to 9-5 in his last year on the job. Monken then departed to become the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator, and Southern Miss hasn’t reached nine wins in any season since then.

In his first head coaching role in the NFL, Monken will face another daunting task in attempting to reverse the Browns’ fortunes. Stefanski earned Coach of the Year honors twice and led the Browns to two playoffs appearances, most recently in 2023, but posted a horrid 8-26 record over the past two seasons. The Browns’ Schwartz-coached defense ranked fourth in yards allowed in 2025, though an offense that finished 30th in yards and 31st in scoring doomed the club to a 5-12 mark.

Monken worked with a superstar quarterback in Baltimore, but he won’t have that luxury in Cleveland – at least not at first. Shedeur Sanders may be the frontrunner to start 2026 after finishing this season as the Browns’ No. 1 option. While Sanders oddly received a Pro Bowl invitation as a sub, the fifth-round rookie didn’t prove himself as a slam-dunk answer during his first seven starts in Cleveland. Meanwhile, third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel fared worse than Sanders before suffering a concussion against the Ravens in Week 11.

Along with Sanders and Gabriel, Deshaun Watson could also factor in to some degree after missing all of this season while recovering from a ruptured Achilles. The Browns’ decision to trade a bounty of picks to the Texans in 2022 and immediately hand Watson $230MM in guarantees was a head-scratcher from the get-go, and it has aged like milk since then.

Watson has made 19 mostly underwhelming starts in a Browns uniform over four years. Even though the former star signal-caller is due to count $80.72MM against the Browns’ cap next season, they’re likely stuck with him. It would cost the Browns an eye-popping $131.16MM in dead money to release Watson in 2026.

General manager Andrew Berry, who acquired Watson, is confident Monken is the right fit for Cleveland.

“Todd has a varied and diverse background that we found as a particularly appealing match for our team at this stage in its life cycle,” Berry said on Wednesday. “He has a direct, demanding, and detail-oriented leadership style that will create a great incubator for a young team. His successful offensive track record at both the pro and college level with a variety of offensive systems and QB skill sets will allow maximum flexibility as we make several, long-term investments on that side of the ball.”

Berry’s statement suggests the Browns will exercise patience with Monken, which will be necessary in the short term. With the Browns holding two first-round picks this year, including the sixth overall selection, Berry will be in position to give Monken more young talent to work with in 2026.

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Jim Schwartz ‘Gaining Momentum’ For Browns’ HC Job

By | at January 27, 2026 5:48 pm

JANUARY 27: Shortly after Stefanski’s firing, Schwartz is believed to have spoken with some Browns defenders in an effort to land the HC job. The veteran DC told multiple players to “talk him up” as a head coaching candidate, Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero notes. Schwartz completed his second interview for the job more than a week ago.

Schwartz, who has not been a head coach since the 2013 season, has received ownership backing to at least remain DC. This component may or may not be impacting some of the candidates’ exits from this search. But it remains clear Schwartz is a key presence in the Cleveland HC derby three-plus weeks after Stefanski’s ouster.

JANUARY 26: By completing an in-person interview with Nate Scheelhaase on Monday, the Browns have satisfied their Rooney Rule requirements and are now free to hire their next head coach.

Their decision, however, is not expected to come until at least Tuesday, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. And despite Scheelhaase’s star seemingly rising in recent days, incumbent defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is “gaining momentum” to get the job, according to Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.

Several coaches have withdrawn from consideration for the Browns’ head coaching job in the last week, including Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski on Monday morning. That effectively narrowed the list down to three finalists who have all interviewed with the team twice: Scheelhaase, Schwartz, and outgoing Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken.

If the Browns want to follow other teams’ recent trend of hiring young Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay assistants as head coaches, Scheelhaase is their man. He may, however, be wary of a job that multiple respected coaches passed on. Udinski joined Mike McDaniel and Jesse Minter in bowing out of this HC search.

Between a meddlesome owner, a roster lacking many pieces on the offensive side of the ball, and what seems to be a cumbersome hiring process (as described by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on the Rich Eisen Show), Scheelhaase may follow other young coaches’ recent trend of waiting to land a preferred head coaching job, rather than the first one they are offered. He may even have a chance at a better opportunity this year after interviewing with the Bills on Monday as well.

Cold feet from Scheelhaase could be one reason that Schwartz’s name is making a late surge. But the longtime defensive coach was an obvious candidate for a promotion from the moment Kevin Stefanski was fired. Schwartz’s defenses have been the team’s stronger side of the ball for all three of his seasons as the team’s DC.

The Browns made no secret of their desire to keep him in Cleveland, and bumping him into the top job is the only way to guarantee that. The team would prefer to retain Schwartz as their defensive coordinator if they go in another direction for their head coach, but he could bristle at being passed over for a relatively inexperienced candidate. Scheelhaase has just two years of NFL experience with only one year as a coordinator at the college level; Schwartz has been coaching football as long as the young Rams coach has been alive.

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Bills To Interview Nate Scheelhaase For HC

By | at January 26, 2026 5:30 pm

Nate Scheelhaase is considered a leading candidate for the Browns head coaching job, but that won’t stop the Rams pass-game coordinator from considering other opportunities. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Bills have requested a head coaching interview with Scheelhaase. The meeting is expected to take place tonight, per Schefter.

The 35-year-old conducted an in-person interview with the Browns today, his second meeting with the organization. The coach is also a candidate for the open Raiders gig, and he interviewed for the Ravens and Steelers jobs. While the Browns could have locked him into a contract, Scheelhaase’s next stop on the interview circuit will lead him to Buffalo.

The former Illinois QB got his first coaching gig at the school, and he later left for a promotion at Iowa State. While working for the Cyclones, Scheelhaase primarily worked with the skills positions, coaching the likes of David Montgomery, Breece Hall, Jayden Higgins, and Xavier Hutchinson. He eventually worked his way up to offensive coordinator in 2023.

Scheelhaase later got his first NFL job on Sean McVay‘s staff. He spent the 2024 campaign serving as the Rams passing game specialist before being named their pass game coordinator for the 2025 season. The organization proceeded to lead the NFL in scoring this year and ranked second in passing yards.

The Bills continue to seek a replacement for Sean McDermott. Their wide-ranging search includes:

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Browns Arrange Second HC Interview With Nate Scheelhaase

By | at January 24, 2026 9:48 pm

Nate Scheelhaase was recently named as a leading candidate for the Browns‘ head coaching position. To no surprise, a second interview with the Rams pass-game coordinator has been arranged.

Scheelhaase will conduct an in-person interview with the Browns on Monday, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports. Rams staffers were not able to speak with suitors this past week with the team preparing for the NFC championship game. By Monday, however, Los Angeles’ season will be over or the team will be on a bye week in advance of the Super Bowl.

This meeting will take place in California regardless of if the Rams win or lose tomorrow, Breer adds. Scheelhaase is one of several coaches involved in the NFC title game who have been drawn considerable HC interest. At the age of 35, Scheelhaase is much younger and less experienced than many other candidates in this year’s hiring cycle.

That has not stopped him from speaking with several HC-needy teams this month, however. Scheelhaase has interviewed with the Ravens, Raiders and Steelers in addition to his Browns ties. The openings in Baltimore and Pittsburgh have since been filled, but Vegas is still in need of a new head coach. Vegas has not yet attempted to set up a second Scheelhaase interview, and it will be interesting to see if the team does so given this sustained push from Cleveland.

The Browns fired Kevin Stefanski after his sixth season at the helm came to an end. Since then, a long list of replacement candidates has emerged, although two – Mike McDaniel and Jesse Minter – withdrew from consideration. An outside hire is of course still possible at this time, but defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz remains a contender to be promoted to the role of head coach. Retaining Schwartz in one capacity or another is high on the team’s priority list as its search plays out.

Scheelhaase’s college coaching tenure included one season as Iowa State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The following season saw him debut on an NFL sideline by serving as an offensive assistant on Sean McVay‘s staff. Scheelhaase was then promoted to his current role for the 2025 campaign. Los Angeles led the NFL in scoring this year and ranked second in passing yards.

The Rooney Rule requires teams to conduct at least two in-person interviews with minority candidates during a head coaching search. Once the Scheelhaase meeting takes place, at least one more will be required to satisfy the rule in Cleveland’s case. Here is an updated look at where things stand for the Browns:

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Tom Telesco Assisting In Browns’ HC Search; Rams’ Nate Scheelhaase A Serious Candidate

By | at January 23, 2026 3:43 pm

One year after the Raiders fired him as their general manager, Tom Telesco is working as a consultant in the Browns’ head coaching search, according to Jordan Schultz. Telesco has been in attendance for in-person meetings with candidates, Schultz adds.

Telesco spent most of the season out of football before he (and ex-Dolphins GM Chris Grier) began talks with the Browns in late December. The Browns have since moved on from head coach Kevin Stefanski, but they retained Andrew Berry as their GM. Telesco and Berry worked together in Indianapolis from 2009-12.

Telesco left the Colts in 2013 to become the Chargers’ GM, a role he held for 11 seasons. His head coaching hires with the Chargers included Mike McCoy, Anthony Lynn and Brandon Staley. Those three led the Chargers to one playoff berth apiece. The team missed the postseason in all eight of Telesco’s other years in the organization.

Telesco became the Raiders’ GM a little over a month after the Chargers canned him, though he wasn’t in their front office for the promotion of Antonio Pierce from interim head coach to the full-time position. Owner Mark Davis made that call a few days before he brought in Telesco. Davis and influential part-owner Tom Brady wound up firing Telesco and Pierce after a 4-13 campaign.

Almost three weeks since the Browns fired Stefanski, they remain without a head coach. A hiring isn’t imminent, as Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports notes that the Browns still have not held any in-person interviews with external minority candidates. The Rooney Rule requires at least two.

One of those spots will go to Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, who is preparing for this Sunday’s NFC Championship Game against the Seahawks. The Browns will be able to interview Scheelhaase in person next week. They could also give another in-person interview to a minority candidate from the college ranks, per Jones, though he doesn’t name any specific possibilities.

The Browns “very much take seriously Nate Scheelhaase,” says Jones, who wouldn’t be surprised to see the team hire the 35-year-old. If the Rams advance to Super Bowl LX, which will take place Feb. 8, the Browns will have to continue waiting to make it official.

While Scheelhaase may be one of the favorites for the job, here’s a look at the other candidates the Browns have considered:

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Browns Want To Keep Jim Schwartz In Some Capacity; Schwartz Favorite For HC Job?

By | at January 18, 2026 11:20 pm

Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has made it to the next stage of the club’s head coaching search, as he will take a second interview with Cleveland on Monday. Albert Breer of SI.com believes Schwartz will ultimately land the position, and he says the preference within the organization is to keep a talented DC on the staff in some capacity.

That suggests that even if the Browns go in a different direction at HC, they still want to keep Schwartz aboard for what would be a fourth year as defensive coordinator. And given the success he has had in that role, the team’s wish makes plenty of sense.

[RELATED: 2026 HC Search Tracker]

Schwartz, 59, has further cemented his status as one of the league’s top defensive minds during his Browns tenure. His unit ranked first in the NFL in yards allowed in 2023 and fourth in that regard this past season (albeit with a 19th-place finish in 2024 sandwiched in-between). Schwartz has received a number of endorsements from his players, and though Cleveland limped to a 5-12 mark in 2025, the team’s offense was the primary culprit.

That offense – or, more accurately, the unappealing quarterback situation – is one of the reasons why the Browns’ HC post is not as well-regarded as some of the other openings around the league. On the other hand, the Ravens are the only other club that appears to be considering Schwartz for a head coaching role in this year’s cycle, so the Cleveland vacancy may represent his best chance to get back in the HC ranks.

Schwartz has not worked as a head coach since 2013, which marked the end of a five-season run as the Lions’ sideline general. His overall 29-51 record in Detroit is a poor one, though he did lead the then-moribund franchise to a playoff berth in 2011, which was the first time since 1999 the Lions had qualified for the postseason. Schwartz earned a Super Bowl ring as the Eagles’ DC in 2017.

Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken is also scheduled for a second HC interview with the Browns. That summit is due to take place on Tuesday, one day after Schwartz speaks with team brass for a second time. If he does not land the Cleveland post, Monken is expected to follow John Harbaugh to New York and become the Giants’ OC.

Other offensive-minded candidates are getting additional consideration from the Browns as well. Jaguars OC Grant Udinski has secured a second interview. The same is true of former Dolphins HC and highy-popular candidate Mike McDaniel, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, who reports McDaniel’s second summit is scheduled for Wednesday. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase has also earned another interview request following his Friday meeting. Since LA is still in the playoffs, the date of his in-person sit-down is to be determined.

In light of his accomplishments, it stands to reason that another candidate who gets the Browns’ job would want to keep Schwartz as their DC. It remains to be seen if Schwartz would be amenable to that, or if he would seek a coordinator job elsewhere.

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Steelers Request HC Interview With Packers DC Jeff Hafley

By | at January 15, 2026 1:02 pm

The Steelers requested to interview Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley for their head coaching vacancy, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Hafley, 46, has become one of the most popular head coaching candidates in this year’s hiring cycle. He came up as a defensive backs coach with multiple college programs before making the jump to the NFL in 2012. After seven seasons with three different teams, he returned to college as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator, which he quickly parlayed into a four-year stint as Boston College’s head coach.

In 2024, the Packers made a bold move to fire defensive coordinator Joe Barry, despite his solid results in his three years in charge. They installed Hafley as his replacement in the hopes that he could turn a good unit into a great one.

He succeeded. In Hafley’s debut year, the Packers finished sixth in points allowed and fifth in yards allowed, both significant improvements from their 2023 rankings. They took a step back to 11th and 12th this year, though losing Micah Parsons – arguably the best defensive player in the NFL – to a torn ACL certainly contribute to some of their struggles down the stretch.

Hafley’s players have generally given him rave reviews, specifically regarding his ability to build relationships with his players. That was a hallmark of Mike Tomlin‘s 19 years in Pittsburgh and something the franchise will likely look for in his successor. He has also worked with both Matt LaFleur and Kyle Shanahan, giving him some connections he can call on when building his staff. His recent history at Boston College may also give him a stronger chance of bringing some college coaching talent to the NFL.

Hafley has also received head coaching interest from the Cardinals, Falcons, Raiders, Dolphins, Titans, and Giants, though that last job no longer seems to be available. Here’s a full overview of the Steelers’ current candidates:

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Steelers Request HC Interviews With Rams’ Chris Shula, Nate Scheelhaase

By | at January 14, 2026 12:51 pm

One day after Mike Tomlin resigned, Pittsburgh has picked a pair of Rams assistants as its first head coaching candidates. The Steelers have requested interviews with Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula and pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Pittsburgh turned heads when it tapped Tomlin, then just 34 years old, as Bill Cowher‘s successor in January 2007. Tomlin went on to last 19 years in the Steel City. He won a Super Bowl, led the Steelers to the playoffs 13 times, and famously didn’t post a losing season before stepping down from the role Tuesday.

As a future Hall of Famer and a Pittsburgh institution, Tomlin will be a tough act to follow for anyone, let alone a first-time head coach. Shula and Scheelhaase don’t carry any head coaching experience, but they’ve earned strong reputations for their work on Sean McVay‘s staff. Teams in the market for head coaches have taken notice of the two this offseason.

There are nine clubs that don’t have a head coach. Seven have requested interviews with the 39-year-old Shula, grandson of the legendary Don Shula.

Chris Shula has worked under McVay in various roles since 2017, the beginning of the head coach’s tenure in Los Angeles. Shula took over as the Rams’ defensive coordinator in 2024. In their first post-Aaron Donald season, the Rams finished a below-average 17th in points and 26th in yardage. They improved to 10th and 17th, respectively, in those categories in 2025. The Rams also ranked fifth in takeaways and seventh in sacks during the regular season.

Scheelhaase, 35, is a former Illinois quarterback who began his coaching career at the school in 2015. He went on to work for Iowa State, including as its offensive coordinator in 2023, before jumping to the pros in 2024. He spent last year as the Rams’ offensive assistant and passing game specialist. McVay moved Scheelhaase to pass game coordinator duties this season.

Considering the Steelers, Ravens, Browns and Raiders have all requested interviews with Scheelhaase, it’s clear his stock around the league is rising. It helps that the Rams boast one of the game’s premier aerial attacks. Quarterback Matthew Stafford may be weeks from winning his first MVP. His favorite target, Puka Nacua, led the league with 129 receptions during the season, and Davante Adams hauled in an NFL-best 14 touchdowns.

Thanks in part to Shula and Scheelhaase, the Rams are still alive heading into the divisional round. They’ll face the Bears on Sunday with a spot in the NFC title game on the line. Whenever the Rams’ season ends, they could lose at least one of their up-and-coming assistants to a team in need of a head coach. Pittsburgh, which is looking for its fourth sideline leader since 1969, has emerged as a potential landing spot.

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Ravens, Raiders Request HC Interviews With Rams’ Nathan Scheelhaase

By | at January 11, 2026 10:45 pm

After reports emerged early this morning that the Browns had requested to interview Rams pass game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase, we got news that two other teams followed suit. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the Ravens and Raiders have also requested to meet with Scheelhaase about their open head coaching vacancies.

It’s honestly surprising to see Scheelhaase getting head coaching interest so soon. The 35-year-old coach only entered the NFL ranks of coaching last year and hasn’t even landed an offensive coordinator gig yet at this level. Scheelhaase spent nine years coaching in the NCAA, starting at his alma mater, where he played quarterback for the Fighting Illini. After three seasons in Champaign, Scheelhaase found his way to Iowa State under then-head coach Matt Campbell. He eventually worked his way up to offensive coordinator in Ames, serving in the position for one year before finding his first gig in the NFL.

Scheelhaase has been a fast-rising name for years in the NFL. In fact, before he had even served as offensive coordinator at Iowa State, Scheelhaase interviewed for the same job with the Eagles shortly after getting promoted in 2023. In 2024, he joined Sean McVay‘s staff in Los Angeles as an offensive assistant/passing game specialist, and following his first year in the league, he landed offensive coordinator interviews in Jacksonville and Tampa Bay and was even seen as a favorite for the Jaguars’ position before ultimately announcing that he would stay with the Rams.

Now, though he’s only been an offensive coordinator at the NCAA level and didn’t even call plays in his time with that role at Iowa State, Scheelhaase has seemingly skipped a level, bypassing coordinator jobs to receive interest in potentially becoming a head coach. Including the Browns, all three teams interested in Scheelhaase have more experienced candidates with former head coaching experience and, at the very least, coordinator experience. Both the Raiders and Ravens, though, have had one of their recent head coaches come in without such experience.

When John Harbaugh was hired in Baltimore, he was coming off a year as the Eagles defensive backs coach after having spent the first nine years of his NFL career as the team’s special teams coordinator. While former Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce technically started as an interim replacement for Josh McDaniels, Vegas named him their full-time head coach in 2024 despite Pierce only have two seasons of NFL coaching experience as the team’s linebackers coach. Because both franchises have shown a receptive nature towards coaches without heaps of experience, Scheelhaase may have a chance to break through in each team’s race.

Follow along with this year’s head coaching cycle with PFR’s 2026 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker. You’ll be able to follow Scheelhaase’s progress with the three teams who have expressed interest so far and any other teams that may follow. If Scheelhaase is unable to make any real headway on head coaching gigs, he’ll almost certainly be a popular name in the offensive coordinator hiring cycle.

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