Chris Shula, Nate Scheelhaase named among NFL's best coordinator duos
· Yahoo Sports
The Los Angeles Rams' pairing of defensive coordinator Chris Shula and offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase ranked among the best coordinator duos in football, according to Sports Illustrated's Gilberto Manzano. Only the Denver Broncos' Davis Webb and Vance Joseph ranked ahead of the Rams' duo.
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Manzano credited both coaches for earning their reputations on merit, not just proximity to head coach Sean McVay's tree of successful assistants.
Shula quickly expanded on what Morris did before leaving for Atlanta in 2024, and did that with a front office that didn't spend much money on that side of the ball. After the team stopped neglecting the defense this offseason, there's a strong possibility that this becomes the best defense in football after the trades for Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie.
Scheelhaase is only entering his third year as an NFL coach, but he earned plenty of respect for the work he did as the offensive coordinator at Iowa State. He might not call the plays as McVay's OC, but he showed his worth last season as the pass-game coordinator by taking the Rams' offense to new heights and helping Matthew Stafford capture his first MVP.
Their resumes back up the ranking. Shula turned over a defense that ranked among the league's least expensive into a top-10 unit in each of his two seasons as coordinator, doing it largely with mid-round picks and bargain free agents rather than premium spending before this 2026 offseason. That track record helped land him five head-coaching interviews this past cycle. Scheelhaase, in just his second NFL season at the time, drew interest from the Browns, Raiders, Ravens and Steelers as well after earning a ton of respect during his time with the Rams.
It should come as no surprise, then, to see both are considered top head coaching candidates for the 2027 offseason hiring cycle.
McVay is a big part of this, and not just because of how successful his teams have been under his tenure or the success of those that have gone on to become head coaches after spending time with him. Rams legend Andrew Whitworth said McVay purposely asks his assistants to run meetings or give presentations throughout the year to help prepare them for bigger spotlights down the line.
It's a testament to McVay's faith in his staff, and it's been a big reason why the Rams have thrived under his leadership and why his assistants continue to get bigger jobs in their careers.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Chris Shula, Nate Scheelhaase named among NFL's best coordinator duos