The rest of the NFL is trying to copy what Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams have built for themselves. Five active NFL head coaches (Atlanta's Raheem Morris, Cincinnati's Zac Taylor, Green Bay's Matt LaFleur, Jacksonville's Liam Coen, Minnesota's Kevin O'Connell) are former McVay assistants, and dozens of assistants populate those staffs.
The Rams' scintillating start to the 2025 season has them once again in a position to see their top assistants poached by those who want to capture some of McVay's pixie dust. McVay's 2025 staff may lose many of their heavy hitters when the offseason rolls around.
NFL.com's Tom Pelissero listed three possible Rams coaches who could get some buzz during this head coaching cycle. Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, defensive coordinator Chris Shula, and passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase all made Pelissero's Top 24.
Losing a brilliant offensive mind in LaFleur, a defensive guru in Shula, and a top LaFleur replacement in Scheelhaase might be very tough for this Rams organization to stomach, especially in the course of just one offseason.
NFL.com believes Rams OC, DC, PGC could all get head coach buzz
LaFleur was fired after two seasons calling plays with the New York Jets, but history has shown that he was extremely limited in what he could install due to the poor play from Zach Wilson under center. Even though he doesn't call plays, LaFleur's work in Los Angeles has rebuilt his reputation enough to get some consideration.
The Shula name still carries some weight in coaching circles, and the LA defensive mastermind has put together one of the best units in the league despite the fact that they have multiple key starters on rookie contracts. There's a chance Shula ends up as the most enticing defensive-minded coach on the market in this cycle.
Scheelhaase might be a bit too early for head coaching offers at 35 years old, but the former Illinois quarterback clearly plays a part in the offense being as effective as it is. Zac Taylor went from quarterbacks coach to narrow Super Bowl loser in a few years, so Scheelhaase getting hired might not be too crazy.
McVay has shown an ability to effectively replace his assistants after losing so many of his big names in the past, and he may need to pull off his best such job yet if both of his coordinators end up getting wiped out in this cycle.