Steelers Begin Head Coach Search with Rams Assistant Nate Scheelhaase
The Pittsburgh Steelers are officially diving into their first head coaching search in nearly two decades, and they’re starting with a name that might not be on every fan’s radar - but probably should be. Nate Scheelhaase, currently the Los Angeles Rams’ passing game coordinator, is set to interview with the Steelers on Friday. It marks the team’s first formal conversation with a candidate since Mike Tomlin stepped down earlier this week.
Because the Rams are still alive in the postseason - they’re set to take on the Chicago Bears this Sunday - league rules require the initial interview to be virtual. If the Rams are eliminated this weekend, the Steelers can meet with Scheelhaase in person as early as Monday, Jan.
- Should the Rams advance, that window gets pushed to Jan.
Scheelhaase isn’t just on Pittsburgh’s radar, either. He’s also lined up interviews with the Ravens, Browns, and Raiders - a sign that his stock is rising quickly across the league.
At just 35 years old, Scheelhaase is relatively young by NFL coaching standards, but his résumé is already turning heads. This is his first season as the Rams’ passing game coordinator, following a year as an offensive assistant under Sean McVay. And yes, that’s the same McVay coaching tree that’s produced names like Zac Taylor, Matt LaFleur, Kevin O’Connell, and Liam Coen - a group that’s made a serious mark on offensive football in the NFL over the past few seasons.
Steelers president Art Rooney II has spoken in the past about the appeal of that system. “It’s a successful system,” Rooney said two years ago, when the team was searching for an offensive coordinator.
“There’s no two ways about it. Those guys have had a lot of success and their approach to offensive football has been pretty impressive.”
Scheelhaase’s path to this point is unique. A former quarterback at Illinois, he threw for over 8,000 yards from 2009 to 2013 and still holds school records for career passing yards and single-season completion percentage. He was a second-team All-Big Ten selection as a senior, but instead of chasing a pro career, he pivoted straight into coaching.
He began at his alma mater as an offensive assistant, then moved on to Iowa State, where he worked under Matt Campbell in a variety of offensive roles from 2018 to 2023 - including stints coaching running backs, wide receivers, and eventually serving as offensive coordinator.
Now, he’s the first candidate the Steelers have officially lined up as they begin a new chapter. What stands out here is the shift in philosophy.
Pittsburgh’s last three head coaches - Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin - all had defensive backgrounds. Scheelhaase, on the other hand, is an offensive mind through and through.
He hasn’t held a coordinator title in the NFL yet, but he’s been part of one of the most innovative offensive systems in the league.
Rooney isn’t putting any limits on what the Steelers are looking for in their next head coach. “We’re gonna be an open book in terms of who we look for and the list that we build,” he said during a press conference on Wednesday.
“Can I sign up for another Chuck Noll or another Bill Cowher or another Mike Tomlin? Sure.
Somebody that we feel fits that mold would be great, but, for now, we’re not gonna narrow the box too much.”
That mindset opens the door for a candidate like Scheelhaase - a rising, offensive-minded coach with a strong developmental background and ties to one of the league’s most respected coaching trees. Whether he ultimately lands the job or not, the Steelers’ interest in him signals a willingness to evolve. After years of defensive leadership, Pittsburgh may be ready to hand the reins to a new kind of head coach - one who sees the game through the lens of the modern NFL offense.