WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. — The Los Angeles Rams are promoting Nathan Scheelhaase from pass game coordinator to offensive coordinator, according to a league source. He will replace Mike LaFleur, who left to become the Arizona Cardinals’ head coach.
Dave Ragone, the Rams’ quarterbacks coach in 2024 and 2025, will now add co-offensive coordinator to his title. The Rams also added former Washington Commanders offensive coordinator and Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury as an offensive assistant on Feb. 6.
At 35, Scheelhaase is considered one of the league’s rising young stars. He interviewed multiple times with the Cleveland Browns for their head-coaching opening. He could be a top candidate in next year’s cycle, provided his stint as offensive coordinator goes according to plan.
Rams coach Sean McVay sought out Scheelhaase when he was the offensive coordinator at Iowa State in 2023. Back then, Scheelhaase was just a decade removed from starring at quarterback at the University of Illinois and was coaching under Matt Campbell, who recently took the Penn State job.
McVay offered Scheelhaase a step back in responsibilities for his first opportunity to work in the NFL. Scheelhaase took it and slid in as an offensive assistant and passing game specialist. He assisted McVay and LaFleur with several behind-the-scenes tasks, including scripting plays and preparing weekly game plans.
Last season, after a promotion to passing game coordinator, Scheelhaase saw some of his work pay off. Matthew Stafford became the NFL MVP for the first time in his 17-year career when he led the league with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns. Additionally, Davante Adams led the NFL with 14 receiving touchdowns, and Puka Nacua led the league with 129 receptions.
“His ability to communicate what our job is on Wednesday through Sunday is something that I’d say has been a blessing in our room,” Nacua said of Scheelhaase. “His ability to understand how we operate, but then also to be on the same page as the quarterbacks, be on the same page when the groupings have changed from 13 personnel to 11.
“He’s done a great job every step of the way of making sure everybody is on the same page.”
The Rams’ season ended with a 31-27 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game, but the passing game delivered its best performance of the season. Against a Seahawks defense that ranked in the top five of nearly every statistical category, Stafford became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least 350 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers in a playoff loss.
Now, Scheelhaase will help lead offensive meetings with McVay and take on a bigger role in game planning for the run game in addition to the passing attack. Scheelhaase is now in a role that has produced NFL head coaches, including Matt LaFleur, Kevin O’Connell, Zac Taylor, Liam Coen and Mike LaFleur.
The Rams will look to replicate as much of last year’s offensive success as possible. They are set to return every starter from last season’s group and could add to it with two first-round picks in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Scheelhaase is one of two new coordinator additions this spring, as the Rams also hired former Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone for the same role.