Sean McVay is staying put with the Los Angeles Rams following his contract extension, but he’ll be without his offensive coordinator.. With offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur landing the head coaching job with the Arizona Cardinals, McVay is once again staring at a reshuffle on offense. It’s a familiar situation for him. Over the years, multiple assistants under McVay have moved on to head coaching roles. So when asked what he’s looking for in a new OC, McVay laid out his thinking pretty clearly.

“We’ve got some really good coaches in-house that we’re going to continue to develop,” McVay said. “I think it is thorough, and reasonable approach to have a wide-ranging search while knowing that I’ve got more than capable guys that could do a phenomenal job. But you do have to do that just based on the rules. I’m looking forward to seeing what that looks like and exactly how that person that ends up becoming the OC, what their roles and responsibilities are. I would like something similar to Mike.”

With that statement, it became clear that LaFleur’s replacement could very well come from inside the franchise. The Rams are now firmly in OC-search mode, and it’s not hard to see why McVay’s priorities are already set. McVay has openly said he wants something similar to what he had with LaFleur.

The results back that up. Under LaFleur’s coordination in 2025, the Rams fielded one of the league’s most productive offenses.

L.A. led the NFL in scoring with 518 total points, averaging 30.5 points per game. They also ranked the best in yards per game at 394.6. With LaFleur now in Arizona, McVay’s goal is clearly to replicate that same offensive rhythm. That’s where the in-house options come into play. Based on the comments, passing game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase has quietly emerged as a strong candidate.

Though he wasn’t an offensive coordinator at the Rams, his college football experience qualifies him for the role. Before breaking into the NFL, he spent six seasons at Iowa State from 2018 to 2023, rising through the ranks to finish as the Cyclones’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

McVay acknowledged the league’s general interviewing rules, including the Rooney Rule, which naturally broadens the search. Scheelhaase has also already been linked to multiple head coaching opportunities. Reportedly, he even surfaced as a finalist for the Cleveland Browns job before the team hired Todd Monken to replace Kevin Stefanski.

Maybe most importantly, familiarity matters here. McVay has made it clear he values internal continuity, and Scheelhaase checks that box. He joined the Rams in 2024 as an offensive assistant and passing game specialist after a long stint at Iowa State. By 2025, McVay had promoted him to passing game coordinator. Now, with the OC role suddenly open, Scheelhaase is well-positioned.

While nothing is official and the Rams are expected to evaluate candidates both inside and outside the building, all signs point to Scheelhaase being one of the leading options to replace LaFleur. Meanwhile, the McVays’ former OC is adapting well to life in Arizona.

The Cardinals replace Jonathan Gannon with Sean McVay’s OC

The Cardinals were among the last teams to settle their head coaching situation ahead of the 2026 season. That wait ended this week when Arizona replaced Jonathan Gannon with Sean McVay’s OC, Mike LaFleur. The Cardinals announced the move Sunday, confirming that LaFleur agreed to a five-year contract.

Not new to the head coaching role, the former Packers coach now steps into a challenging situation. He’ll inherit a roster that finished 3–14 last season and a team that was the only NFC West team to miss the playoffs.

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“We had the opportunity to speak with an outstanding group of candidates during this extensive process and gathered tremendous insight from each of them,” Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said in a statement. “At the end of that process, it was clear that Mike LaFleur possesses all the traits necessary to lead this team to success as its head coach. He is highly intelligent with an exceptionally sharp, creative football mind.”

The Cardinals also met with the Seattle Seahawks‘ offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, on Saturday. However, Kubiak is widely expected to land the head coaching job with the Las Vegas Raiders. This development helps explain why the Cardinals shifted course late in the process. LaFleur, meanwhile, had already gone through a virtual interview before being brought in for a two-day, in-person visit with the organization.

Now, LaFleur is set to take over a rebuilding team in 2026, with expectations tempered by recent struggles. As for McVay and the Rams, the head coach position is firmly settled. It’s the offensive coordinator spot that remains to be figured out.