Jul 23, 2025; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator coach Nate Scheelhaase during training camp at Loyola Marymount University. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Three Reasons Why the Steelers Want Rams' Nate Scheelhaase

Originally posted on Los Angeles Rams on SI
By Brock Vierra | Last updated Jan 14, 2026 6:24 PM ET

WOODLAND HILLS, Ca. The Los Angeles Rams have been notified that the Pittsburgh Steelers have requested an interview with Nate Scheelhaase for their head coaching opening. Here are three reasons why Pittsburgh is interested in Scheelhaase.

1. The Move Would Mix New School Ideas With Old School Ideals

The Steelers have been a franchise that has prioritized the family-style workplace under the ownership of the Rooney family. As a result, many of the ideals established by Art Rooney nearly 100 years ago still remain prevalent today.

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Those ideals led to the hiring of defensive-minded coaches in Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin. Those ideals led to six Super Bowls and three head coaches since the merger, the lowest amount by any team in the NFL by a large margin. Keep in mind how much the league has grown since then.

The Steelers looked for young, discliplned, experienced coaches who were player developers. However, the league is no longer catered towards the defense and with offensive innovation in demand, Scheelhaase checks every box for the organization, while addressing the franchise's biggest deficiency since the end of the Killer Bs era.

2. Understanding of the Rooney Family Culture

As mentioned, the Steelers are run by a morality code defined by the Rooney family. What that means exactly can fluctuate, but their core principles is as simple as this. As long as you win the right way, you will be forever loved in the Steel City.

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That has coincided with the Steelers being able to bring in wild individuals, having them assimilate into the Steelers' code, have them produce on Sundays while becoming a part of the community throughout the week. I've spoken to Scheelhaase, and he is as family-first as a man can get. He understands what that fine line means and who to bring in to produce in the way Pittsburgh wants their players to do.

3. A Track Record of Success at Various Levels

Scheelhaase is a former starting quarterback at Illinois before he worked his way up from graduate assistant to eventually being Matt Campbell's heir apparent at Iowa State. Had Scheelhaase stayed at Iowa State, he would be the Cyclones head coach as we speak, pointing to his success and how decision makers view him.

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Instead, Scheelhaase went to the NFL and learned how to do things at the NFL level. After one year, he was getting offensive coordinator interviews and now he's getting head coaching interviews. The Steelers love coaches who go and get it for themselves. They love track records and it's a big reason why the Steelers chose an outside hire in Mike Tomlin over a Cowher assistant back in the late 2000s.

Scheelhaase didn't wait for his shot. He went and made an opportunity for himself.

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