Running game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase of the Iowa State Cyclones during the first half of the college football game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium on November 13, 2021 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)

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Tyler Erzberger

By Tyler Erzberger

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When you become the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, it's not a job that is given lightly.

In fact, since the moon landing, only three men have been able to call themselves the head coach of one of the most prestigious franchises in all of football.

Chuck Noll coached for 23 seasons.

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Bill Cowher for 15.

Mike Tomlin for 19 before he stepped down two weeks ago.

So with the search on to find their next hire, the Steelers have a different viewpoint than other teams. They're not looking for a simple stopgap for a few years.

Like Noll, Cowher, and Tomlin, they want to find the right person to lead the team, possibly for the next two decades. All three of the coaches were hired in their mid-thirties, and that trend could continue if they hire what many are calling a young phenom on the rise in the assistant game.

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NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney and head coach bill cower with the Lombardi Trophy after Super Bowl XL between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan on February 5, 2006. (Photo by Allen Kee/NFLPhotoLibrary)

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Nathan Scheelhaase, 35, is not the Los Angeles Rams' offensive coordinator, but he is regarded as one of the most essential cogs in their league-leading offense.

After coming over from Iowa State as their OC in 2024, he is now the pass game coordinator and is seen as a future star in the coaching world. A former college QB out of Illinois, he's only been out of college for a little over a decade, and Scheelhaase has made the rounds during the current coaching carousel as his team prepares for the NFC Championship on Sunday.

While he's also a finalist with the Cleveland Browns and possibly other franchises, some members of the Pittsburgh media team and organization can see similarities between Scheelhaase and a young Tomlin, who led the Steelers to the Super Bowl.

Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says the Rams coordinator impressed the Steelers staff during his initial interviews and had "similar vibes to Tomlin," which is seen as a positive.

For years, teams have tried to find the next Sean McVay by hiring every offensive or defensive coordinator he has hired. After all the time searching and a majority failing, Scheelhaase might be the one to finally take on that mantle and succeed.

If he does, the Steelers might have their next head coach until 2045 and beyond.

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