Matthew Stafford is 3 years older than his new Rams offensive coordinator

The Los Angeles Rams are heading into what should be an all-in season in 2026. After coming up short in the NFC Championship, the Rams got word from Matthew Stafford that he's returning for at least the 2026 season.

But not everyone is returning. Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur was hired by the Arizona Cardinals to be their new head coach, leaving the Rams OC job open. And, as ESPN's Adam Schefter reports, Nate Scheelhaase got the job.

With Scheelhaase getting McVay's offensive coordinator job, the Rams now have an interesting age dynamic in play. Stafford is 38 years old, while Scheelhaase, his new OC, is 3 years younger at 35 years old.

Who is new Rams offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase?

Scheelhaase was born on November 8th, 1990, and has been coaching football for a while now. He began his career with Illinois in 2015 as a running backs coach, before becoming the offensive assistant at Illinois from 2016 until 2017.

He then left to join Iowa State, coaching the running backs in 2018 and then spending two years as the wide receivers coach in 2019 and 2020.

For the next three years, Scheelhaase stuck with Iowa State, operating as the running game coordinator, running backs and wide receivers coach in 2021 and 2022, before becoming the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2023.

Finally, after nearly a decade coaching in college football, Scheelhase broke into the NFL with the Rams as the offensive assistant and pass game specialist in 2024. He was promoted to pass game coordinator for the 2025 season.

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Rams outlook with Nate Scheelhaase at OC

After a decade as a coach in college and the NFL, Scheelhaase was promoted to the Rams' offensive coordinator job, becoming a key offensive voice for a Super Bowl-contending Rams team.

He's three years younger than Stafford and five years younger than McVay. It's a fairly young offensive braintrust in Los Angeles, but there's reason to be confident in the new OC.

Teams around the NFL interviewed him for head coach positions this offseason, and while he didn't land a job, that interest is a sign that teams aren't worried about his age, so Rams fans shouldn't be worried either.

While the age dynamic with the Rams, in a 40-year-old head coach in McVay, a 38-year-old QB in Stafford, and a 35-year-old OC in Scheelhaase, is interesting, there should be no concern for Rams fans that this won't work in 2026.

McVay is a great head coach, Stafford is on his way to the Hall of Fame, and Scheelhaase, as evidenced by his head coaching interest, is an ascending coach in the NFL.

More Rams news:

• Rams' list of 2026 NFL draft picks, free agents and cap space for offseason after loss to Seahawks
• Oldest MVP winners in NFL history: Where Matthew Stafford would rank compared to Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers
• Rams GM teases all-in offseason if Matthew Stafford returns to L.A.
• Rams urged to upgrade CB room after Sam Darnold's 346-yard NFC Championship outing