4 candidates Sean McVay must select from for a likely 5th future NFL head coach

Isn't the pattern of NFL teams poaching head coaches from the staff of the Los Angeles Rams a bit insane? Since hiring Sean McVay as the head coach, four of his offensive coordinators have since been hired off to become NFL head coaches. That's not only crazy, it also seems very unsustainable.

The Arizona Cardinals continue the annual tradition by hiring offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur as their next head coach.

Since 2017, McVay has lost the following offensive coordinators to become head coaches of other NFL teams. They are:

• 2017 - Matt LaFleur - HC Green Bay Packers
• 2020-21 - Kevin O'Connell - HC Minnesota Vikings
• 2022 - Liam Coen - HC Jacksonville Jaguars
• 2023-2025 - Mike LaFleur - HC Arizona Cardinals

And it's the type of stuff that gets noticed by NFL pundits.

The thing is, who will take over as the next offensive coordinator? After all, it appears that the role is a sure-fire step towards becoming an NFL head coach. When that happens, McVay will have mentored five NFL head coaches in 10 or so years. That's averaging nearly a new head coach biannually.

That's nuts.

Who will Sean McVay choose as his next offensive coordinator?

Now the question is who will take over as the next offensive coordinator, and that is truly something that will impact the future of this team. Curiously, the very fact that teams poach LA Rams offensive coordinators as head coaches makes the role unbelievably desirable to the NFL's top coaching talent.

So, who might become the fifth offensive coordinator hired away as a new NFL head coach?

1. Pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase

The most obvious candidate is already on the coaching staff. Multiple teams have interviewed LA pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase as a potential head coach candidate. And that is without any coordinator experience. It seems like an almost certainty that he will take over as the next offensive coordinator. But there are others in the mix as well.

2. Tight end coach Scott Huff

Scott Huff was hired as the tight end coach in 2025 after serving as the offensive line coach for the Seattle Seahawks. It's impossible to ignore just how effectively the entire group stepped up in 2025. Perhaps the most significant tell is the fact that the same group that caught just three touchdowns in 2024 stepped up for 17 scores in 2025.

All thanks to Coach Huff.

If the team wants to remain in the tight end realm of the offensive spectrum, Scott Huff makes an intriguing choice. He not only understands the intricacies of the passing game, but he also knows what it takes for offensive linemen to get the job done.

3. Indianapolis Colts pass game coordinator Alex Tanney

Nobody can ignore the job that Indianapolis Colts pass game coordinator Alex Tanney has done in getting quarterback Daniel Jones a new lease on his NFL career. If the team is seriously considering the successor to starting quarterback Matthew Stafford, then Tanney makes an excellent choice.

Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson would love to play in Horns someday. If Los Angeles is equally interested, Alex Tanney could be an ideal hire.

4. Baltimore Ravens assistant head coach Wilie Taggart

Another offensive coach with plenty of oomph in both tight end and running back-centric offenses is Baltimore Ravens assistant head coach Willie Taggart. Taggart ascended recently from the college football coaching ranks and oversaw the Ravens running backs. The bonus with Coach Taggert is the Ravens reliance upon tight ends, and how that adds a new dimension to LA's future potential.

Taggerts brings the yin to McVay's yang. McVay is a passing offense specialist, while Taggert is a running back's champion. The two, if combined, would create an offensive strategy that would be impossible to stop.

Four of the best offensive strategists available would all love to become Sean McVay's offensive coordinator. Not only is Los Angeles a well-run organization, but the role is certain to lead to a head coaching gig.

As always, thanks for reading.