The Buffalo Bills are in the middle of a coaching search, and a new name entered the conversation on Monday.
Bills Have Reached Out to Nate Scheelhaase
According to ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Bills have reached out to interview Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase for their head coach position.
“Buffalo Bills now have requested to interview Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase for their head coach job, per source,” Schefter wrote on X. “Scheelhaase currently is interviewing in person for the Cleveland Browns head coach job, with the Bills now on deck.”
The Bills kicked off their coaching search last week after parting ways with head coach Sean McDermott, who led the team for nine seasons. Buffalo couldn’t interview Scheelhaase last week because the Rams were competing in the NFC Championship game against the Seattle Seahawks.
NFL rules prevent candidates on teams participating in championship weekend from interviewing during the week. This might explain why the Bills were hesitant to engage with him until Monday.
Scheelhaase has been widely regarded throughout this year’s coaching search, and he met with the Browns on Monday regarding their head coaching position. He had already interviewed with the Browns a few weeks ago, but this marks the first time Cleveland has met with him in person.
Cleveland traveled to Los Angeles for an in-person interview, which may indicate a keen interest in Scheelhaase. However, with the Bills now involved, it seems the Browns could be biding their time to see how far Buffalo is willing to go to pursue Scheelhaase as its next head coach.
Schefter also reported that Scheelhaase is expected to meet with the Bills on Monday night after his interview with the Browns is complete. Since Buffalo is still evaluating its candidates, this interview could serve as a way to evaluate Scheelhaase and determine whether the Bills want to set up another interview in the near future.
Is Scheelhaase a Fit In Buffalo?
Although several teams have rushed to interview Scheelhaase for their head coaching position this offseason, he lacks significant NFL coaching experience. Scheelhaase just wrapped up his second season coaching in the NFL, but he does bring a wealth of knowledge from his time coaching in college before leaping into professional football.
Scheelhaase coached at Iowa State from 2018 to 2023 in various roles, most notably as offensive coordinator in 2022. Scheelhaase is also only 35 years old, and with his lack of NFL experience, it might not be the best route for the Bills to take.
The Bills are a Super Bowl-ready team that needs a coach ready to win now. Scheelhaase may need a few years to adjust to the role of an NFL head coach, and a team like Cleveland, where there’s an expectation of not winning many games next season, could provide an ideal environment for him to develop with no pressure.
It will be interesting to see how serious a candidate Scheelhaase is for the Bills, but there’s a good chance Buffalo will look elsewhere.
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