Things are heating up across the NFL coaching landscape. Nearly a third of the league is searching for a new head coach during this year’s carousel. The Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t accustomed to this process, but the franchise has been quick to cast interest in a wide range of candidates. One of the first was Chris Shula, the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams.

According to insider Albert Breer, Shula is one candidate that particularly interests the Steelers.

“I can tell you right now, the Steelers really like Chris Shula,” Breer said Monday on FS1’s The Herd.

Shula is a notable candidate for a few reasons. First, the Steelers have been tracking him for a while. Even before Mike Tomlin informed them of his decision to step away, the Steelers were reportedly keeping tabs on Shula.

The Steelers acted fast after Tomlin stepped down, approaching Shula quickly. He was the second interview Pittsburgh requested, right after another member of the Rams’ coaching staff, Nate Scheelhaase.

There are plenty of ways in which Chris Shula fits what the Steelers may be looking for. He’s young (39 years old), has no head coaching experience, and is a defensive-minded coach. Each of those three things is similar to the head coaches the Steelers have hired in the past. Shula’s grandfather worked with Chuck Noll, his father worked with Kevin Colbert, and Shula himself previously worked with Tom Arth. So the obvious connections to the franchise are there.

However, if Shula is the man the Steelers want, they’re going to have to wait. His defense put together an outstanding performance to beat Chicago on Sunday, and the Rams advance to the NFC Championship game as a result. But the NFL doesn’t allow in-person interviews for coaches who are still alive in the playoffs. Whether the Rams win or lose next week, the Steelers can talk to Shula face-to-face after next Sunday’s game.

To Breer, though, patience is something the Steelers are comfortable with.

“I don’t think that that’s any sort of song and dance. I think it’s a real intention to go through a real process,” Breer said. “But it doesn’t mean those guys [Shula] are getting hired. Because they’re [Steelers] gonna go through the full process.”

Breer said something similar earlier on Monday, that the Steelers will be patient even if other coaches start to find some homes. That’s in line with Art Rooney II himself stating that the process could take weeks at his press conference last Wednesday.

If Chris Shula is the coach Pittsburgh desires, things will have to wait a week. But that’s something the Steelers seem to be comfortable with. If they remain patient while other coaches start to come off the board, the chances of hiring Shula will only grow.