Pastor to Rams offensive coordinator in three years

The Los Angeles Rams named Nate Scheelhaase their offensive coordinator during the 2026 offseason. The 35-year-old coach now leads the offense for one of the league's premier contenders. His promotion marks a steep ascent for a man who spent his early twenties serving as a youth pastor in Kentucky.

Scheelhaase moved to Louisville, Kentucky, in 2014 after graduating from the University of Illinois. He took a position at Southeast Christian Church, one of the nation's largest megachurches. He spent the next year and a half working with teenagers at the church and volunteering as a chaplain for two local high school football teams. He described the year as impactful and formative.

The path from church to coaching was not his initial plan. Scheelhaase had been a four-year starting quarterback at Illinois but did not view coaching as a primary career goal. He married in late 2013 and worried about the instability of a coaching career. He called Jason Epperson, a pastor and former Illinois team chaplain, to discuss options. Epperson had just accepted a job in Louisville where a youth pastor role was open.

Scheelhaase arrived in Louisville in early 2014 with a focus on connection. He sought to understand the individuals around him rather than just their activities. Chris Burke, an ESPN baseball analyst, noted that Scheelhaase was perfectly suited for the role. Burke observed that Scheelhaase enjoyed being around young people and communicated with patience.

During his time in Louisville, Scheelhaase formed a close friendship with Nate Hobbs, an eighth grader whose father had recently died. Scheelhaase drove Hobbs to practices and supported him through the loss. Hobbs later became a defensive back for the San Francisco 49ers. Scheelhaase also visited Trinity High School and Eastern High School, where he delivered chapel services. He recalled one speech at Eastern in 2014 that fell flat with the players. Watching the head coach deliver a powerful pregame address afterward inspired Scheelhaase to pursue coaching.

He returned to Illinois to coach running backs for the 2015 season. He said the core skill remained the same: building trust. He noted that asking players to perform difficult or counterintuitive tasks requires a deep personal connection. He moved to Iowa State as a coordinator in 2023 and joined Sean McVay's staff in 2024. McVay had called him a rising star in 2025. Scheelhaase previously served as an offensive assistant for the Rams, where he focused on play design using software.

The transition from ministry to the NFL reflects a long history of overlap between faith and sports. Rocky Seto, a former Seahawks assistant, served as a pastor in Los Angeles before returning to coaching. He compared the huddle to a moment of spiritual focus before returning to daily life. Frank Reich, who served as a pastor before his NFL career, noted that coaching and seminary both require extensive hours.

Scheelhaase currently has three children. He said the role models he met in Louisville influenced how he acts as a husband and father. His life still revolves around Sundays, though the setting has shifted from the church to the NFL.