In the early days of the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching search, many thought the storied franchise would go after a veteran name like Mike McCarthy or Sean McDermott to lead the franchise in the years to come. However, it’s reportedly an up-and-coming coach who left the organization with Mike Tomlin vibes after his interview.
According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Los Angeles Rams pass-game coordinator Nahan Scheelhaase made a strong impression in his interview with team officials. It apparently felt reminiscent of when Tomlin interviewed for the Steelers’ head-coaching vacancy two decades ago.
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“I’m not going to say he’s the top guy because some of these candidates still have to interview in person with AR2, and he’s the one who will make the call. But I will say Scheelhaase was an impressive interview, which fits with what other NFL people think of him. Hmmm, so was Tomlin…”
Gerry Dulan on Nathan Scheelhaase’s Interview with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Scheelhaase, age 35, has far less coaching experience in the NFL than Tomlin did when Pittsburgh hired him. The former Illinois quarterback worked at the collegiate level before 2024, working his way up at Iowa State from running backs coach (2018) to wide receivers coach (2019–20) and then run game coordinator (2021–22) before taking over as offensive coordinator in 2023.
After coaching quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers for the Cyclones football program, Scheelhaase caught the attention of Rams head coach Sean McVay. McVay brought him to Los Angeles in 2024, hiring him as an offensive assistant and passing game specialist. After just one season in that role, McVay promoted Scheelhaase to pass game coordinator for the 2025 season.
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Timing could prove crucial here. If the Rams win the NFC championship game and advance to the Super Bowl, any team interested in hiring Scheelhaase would need to wait until February to make the move official. That would impact the ability to hire the rest of the Steelers coaching staff, roles that will be vital for a 35-year-old coach who has never been a play-caller or offensive coordinator in the NFL.
With that said, Scheelhaase has clearly made a strong impression on everyone across the league. It is viewed as only a matter of time until he becomes a head coach, and the interest in him this offseason means it could happen now. Pittsburgh could also be the right place for him to learn the ropes and grow as a head coach, given the franchise history of being very patient with its coaches.
