Erdelatz rose to the rank of lieutenant commander in 1945 and began the first of three years as a Navy assistant coach at the academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Looking to return to California, Erdelatz accepted the defensive coordinator's position with the San Francisco 49ers of the All-America Football Conference in 1948.

After the bowl victory over Rice, Erdelatz was courted by other schools and nearly accepted the task of replacing Bear Bryant at Texas A&M University.

On April 8, 1959, Erdelatz resigned as head coach of the Midshipmen, citing a number of factors, including the desire for an easier schedule.

After rejecting an assistant coaching position with the National Football League's Washington Redskins, Erdelatz sat out the 1959 season, waiting for the inevitable job offers and worked as a volunteer swim instructor for the handicapped.

Having rejected the AFL's Los Angeles Chargers the year before, Erdelatz raised eyebrows when he accepted the head coaching position with the new league's Oakland Raiders on February 9, 1960.

When ownership conflicts kept the team from signing any top draft picks the next season, Erdelatz watched the Raiders outscored 99–0 in their first two games, resulting in his dismissal on September 18, 1961.

After the year had ended, Erdelatz applied for the head coaching job with Army and the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals but came up empty.