Nate

Scheelhaase

Schwartz could land the Browns’ head coach gig by default with so many candidates pulling out of the search for the league’s most unappealing job. During five seasons as Lions head coach, Schwartz was a disaster, posting a 29-51 record. He was unable to make the Lions a competitive team for much of that time; even the team’s defense was subpar. Schwartz, 59, would likely be a placeholder coach until the Browns can convince a young, up-and-coming coach to take a job no one really wants. Nate Scheelhaase and Todd Monken are reportedly also in the mix to coach Cleveland.

Scheelhaase is clearly one of the frontrunners for the head coach position in Cleveland but is also interviewing with the Bills for the same position later in the day. A copycat league continues to show great interest in the Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan coaching trees, with Scheelhaase the next man up for a potential massive bump in responsibility. He has also interviewed with the Ravens, Raiders, and Steelers this offseason.

Scheelhaase is reportedly meeting with the Browns right now in Los Angeles and Cleveland beat writers are picking out words carefully so they aren’t the ones saying he’s the favorite for the job despite the long interview, so perhaps this is a leverage play. It’s certainly no surprise to see the Bills interested, and they’ll reportedly have an in-person interview with Scheelhaase tonight. Scheelhaase also completed interviews with the Ravens, Raiders and Steelers this offseason. Scheelhaase would be yet another Sean McVay coaching tree disciple wherever he lands.

Schultz notes that the situation is “very fluid” and that there is “a good chance they add another name or two to the mix.” Scheelhaase will reportedly have his second interview with the team next week. The Browns are said to be targeting a young head coach. Scheelhaase, 35, fits the bill.

With the Rams advancing to the NFC Championship Game after Sunday’s win over the Bears, the Browns will be restricted from interviewing Scheelhaase until next Monday at the earliest. The 35-year-old coach has met with several teams this hiring cycle, but any teams seriously considering hiring Scheelhaase will have to delay all hiring decisions by a week as the postseason continues to play out. Scheelhaase first joined the Rams in 2024 and was elevated to pass game coordinator ahead of this season. The latest coveted coach off the Sean McVay coaching tree could soon land a head coaching job if he and the Rams continue their impressive postseason run.

Schrager puts Monken at the top of the list. Earlier today, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that Monken is “among the leading candidates” for the role. He should probably be considered the favorite. However, the four remaining candidates are Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka, Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, former Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury and Browns OC Tommy Rees.

This is quite the impressive lineup for the 35-year-old offensive coach. Scheelhaase coached in the college ranks from 2015-2023 before signing on as an offensive assistant and passing game specialist with the Rams in 2024. He was promoted to his current role last offseason.

Scheelhaase has quietly become a popular man on the head coaching circuit. The Ravens, Raiders, and Browns have all requested interviews with him. He received multiple offensive coordinator interviews last offseason but chose to stay with the Rams, at which point the team promoted him to his current position. The move, or lack thereof, proved prescient. LA led the league in scoring this year and Matthew Stafford is likely going to earn his first career MVP award. Scheelhaase would be a stark departure from the style of Mike Tomlin, but maybe that’s what Pittsburgh needs after nearly a decade without a postseason win.

So have the Raiders. The McVay assistant coaching tree continues to be well-plumbed. Scheelhaase stayed put this year after nearly signing on as Jaguars offensive coordinator in 2025 silly season. It’s possible that he leaps to an offensive coordinator gig this year, but the fact that he’s already drawing head-coaching interviews shows his name is on the rise. The Ravens have a crowded board right now, about 10-15 candidates deep, and the Raiders have requested just six names.

The coaching pool isn’t as deep this year as it was in 2025 when Ben Johnson and Liam Coen were both on the market. That, in turn, has teams like the Browns digging deeper into the McVay tree. Scheelhaase joined LA last year as an assistant and passing game specialist. He was promoted to passing game coordinator ahead of the 2025 season. Matthew Stafford went on to post career numbers this year, leading the league with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns. Scheelhaase is an under-the-radar name to watch for Cleveland. He will likely be in consideration for offensive coordinator gigs around the league as well.