When Mike LaFleur departed the Rams to become the Cardinals’ head coach earlier this offseason, there was an obvious internal replacement for his vacated position.
Nate Scheelhaase had spent the last two seasons on Los Angeles’ coaching staff, first as an offensive assistant and passing game specialist in 2024. He was promoted to pass game coordinator in 2025 and has now been promoted to offensive coordinator in 2026.
It wasn’t always clear that Scheelhaase would even be back with the Rams for this season, as he was in the mix for head coaching opportunities. But he said this week that he’s grateful to stick with the Rams while still pushing his career forward.
“It’s rare to be able to move up in the profession as far as responsibilities go and do that in one place,” Scheelhaase said Monday, via Stu Jackson of the team’s website. “So, to continue to learn alongside Sean [McVay], alongside the staff, and to continue to work with these players. It was cool and again, the transition as far as getting our players back and what that then looks like. It’s a lot of the same as adding value to what we’re trying to do every day, trying to help in any way possible. Certainly, roles and responsibilities look a little bit different, but same mentality.”
While he’s doing a different job, Scheelhaase is taking the same approach to being the club’s offensive coordinator that he’s brought to the rest of his career.
“I think having that nose down, go to work mentality and finding a way to make an impact has always been a calling card of mine,” Scheelhaase said. “I’ve learned that from the people that I’ve been around. Spending six years with [former head coach] Matt Campbell at Iowa State was largely impactful to who I am as a coach. Obviously, the last two years here with Sean being able to learn what it looks like at this level, to be able to do it with that sustained excellence over a number of years, that’s been huge as well. Those two have been impactful.
“Relationships and hard work, those are my calling cards of what I got and being able to do it in a place like this, you feel like you get to lead out of your true self in that way.”
Rams coach Sean McVay is liking what he’s seeing at Organized Team Activities, but he’s tempering his enthusiasm with a reminder that what he’s seeing is not actually football.
Asked for his assessment, McVay said that OTAs, which are non-contact practices, can only tell a coach so much.
“I’ve seen steady improvement, but this isn’t real football until we put the pads on,” McVay said. “But I’ve been pleased with a lot of the things before the ball is snapped, the operation, the communication, getting our cleats in the ground, getting aligned in some of the appropriate formations, so it’s been positive. Guys are working, and the other thing is learning how to practice while minimizing the risk of injury. How to be able to protect each other but positively push one another. I like the vibe of this group, but there’s so much work to be done.”
The Rams are the favorites to win the Super Bowl after adding reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to an already strong roster. But we won’t find out whether they’re for real until they’re playing real football. And that doesn’t happen in June.
When the U.S. faces Paraguay on Friday, attendees will have no issues when it comes to buying a beer or a hot dog.
Via the Associated Press, the union representing roughly 2,000 SoFi Stadium workers announced Tuesday that a deal has been struck to avoid a strike during the World Cup.
Union members, who recently voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, will vote Wednesday on the ratification of the agreement.
The agreement includes higher wages and protections against the subcontracting of union work.
SoFi Stadium will host eight of the matches in the upcoming international soccer tournament. The labor peace also will extend to Rams and Chargers’ home games.
The Rams have added an outside linebacker.
Los Angeles announced on Tuesday that the club has signed Tomon Fox.
Fox, 28, spent the last four seasons with the Giants, largely bouncing between the team’s active roster and the practice squad after initially signing with the club as an undrafted free agent in 2022.
In 37 career games with two starts, Fox has recorded 45 total tackles with 2.0 sacks. Last season, he appeared in nine games with one start, tallying six total tackles while mainly playing special teams.
Rams offensive lineman Alaric Jackson was arrested for felony domestic battery on Monday night in Los Angeles.
NBC4 reports that Jackson was arrested at around 11 p.m., after police were called to his home.
The report said Jackson and a woman had an argument, Jackson thought the woman was recording him with her phone and allegedly tried to take the phone out of her hand, and investigators said the woman had scratch marks on her arms.
Jackson was jailed early Tuesday morning, and released after posting a $50,000 bond.
In 2024, the NFL suspended Jackson two games for violating the Personal Conduct Policy, as a result of a woman reporting that Jackson recorded her during sex without consent, refused to delete the video and taunted her with it. The woman filed a lawsuit against Jackson in November.
Last year the Rams signed Jackson to a three-year, $57 million contract extension. Jackson started 16 regular-season games and all three postseason games for the Rams last season.
