🔗 Share this article

While the US is a nation of immigrants, the National Football League is still led by American-born players. Just five percent of players are born abroad, and most of them step into the game by going to university in the US. Genuine outsiders are rare, and foreign coaches are particularly rare, which makes James Cook’s story exceptional.

Cook’s Unlikely Path to the League

Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Browns organization. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he grew up in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and did not played professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his father and came across what he called a “weird and wonderful” game. He began participating locally and soon aspired to become the first NFL quarterback born in Europe. He progressed to representing Team GB, but his plans to attend college in the US proved too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys wanted me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d appear all over London and throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”

This is where he encountered Aden Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he established the International Player Pathway program in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the coaching team at the Falcons, making history as the first UK full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable players,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I went to Down Under to work with younger players from around the Pacific to introduce them to college football, like what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to NFL Coaching

Like his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from training foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, optimizing time on the training ground, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and general manager. It’s a very hands-on position, which is perfect for me. My background was working with international athletes who had not played the sport. Rookie newcomers also have to build habits and schedules: learning to take care of their body and handle a huge playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the identical across the board. And I love that.”

Is being an Brit who did not compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a perceived hurdle than an real one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and many players call me ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and require help in the same ways. If players understand you can help them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or what accent. And when players realize that you care, all the rest fades.”

Benefits of Coming From Beyond the US System

Coming from beyond the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen asked me about the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. Teammates are genuinely curious. NFL organizations are varied than many think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a variety of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing foreign fans than developing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the championship earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have made it to the elite level.

International Players and Their Journeys

International athletes have typically been specialists, recruited from other football codes. Bobby Howfield swapped playing up front for Watford and Fulham for becoming a placekicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in England to the Falcons team. If you do not want to be a kicker and were not educated in the US college system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before discovering the sport at university, has made that step. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is just as unlikely. At over two meters and heavyweight, the Italian was clearly not built for his preferred games, soccer and the sport, so took up American football in his late teens. He stood out while representing teams in Austria and Europe, as well as the national side, and was offered a place on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have spells on the fringes at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is hasn’t had game time on the gridiron. Is his status as a international player still a challenge?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a very inclusive environment, a excellent squad, a top franchise.”

Although devoting the majority of training with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a group and altogether one, but we have friends from every position group. My best friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, actually – was a receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for two years at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is conscious he symbolizes more than just his home countries. “I would say every nation outside the United States. The more successful each one of us performs, the more young people who play football in Europe, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of kids hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s nice to encourage them to experience what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are welcomed to the US annually to coach the new group of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us return