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Although the US is a nation of immigrants, the National Football League is still led by American-born athletes. Only 5% of participants are born abroad, and most of them step into the sport by attending university in the US. Genuine international figures are unusual, and coaches from abroad are especially scarce, which makes James Cook’s story remarkable.

Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL

Cook has been in control of player development at the Browns organization. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible given he was raised in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and never played professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his father and came across what he called a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing in his area and soon aspired to become the first-ever NFL QB born in Europe. He progressed to representing Great Britain, but his dreams to attend university in the US proved financially prohibitive.

“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys wanted me, I would switch my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up all over London and throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

This is where he met Aden Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the IPP programme in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first-ever UK full-time coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable guys,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Australia to work with aspiring athletes from across the Pacific region to introduce them to the US college system, like what I had hoped to do.”

Making the Leap to NFL Coaching

Similar to Durde before him, Cook made the jump from training foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland called out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, optimizing time on the training ground, collaborating with physios, the head coach and GM. It’s a really hands-on role, which is ideal for me. My experience was guiding international athletes who had not played the sport. First-year newcomers also have to establish habits and routines: how to look after their body and handle a massive playbook. But also just being present for guys. That’s the same across the board. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Brit who did not play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a perceived hurdle than an real one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style comments and many players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the similar things and need help in the same ways. If players know you can help them, they don’t care about your origin or what accent. And when players realize that you care, all the other stuff melts away.”

Advantages of Coming From Outside the US System

Coming from beyond the American football world has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and form friendships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are varied than many think. We have people from all sorts of backgrounds, a range of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing international supporters than developing global talent. Mailata, a former rugby league player from Australia who claimed the championship earlier this year with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the very top.

Foreign Players and Their Journeys

International athletes have usually been kickers, recruited from other football codes. Bobby Howfield swapped soccer for Watford and Fulham for becoming a kicker for the Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in England to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and did not trained in the American system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.

Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s academy before finding American football at Nottingham University, has made that step. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the Italian was obviously not built for his preferred games, football and the sport, so started American football in his teenage years. He impressed while playing for clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a place on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a member of the Rams training team. Pircher went on to have spells on the fringes at the Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in each team but is hasn’t had game time on the field. Is his status as a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” notes the player. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. Initially, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a really welcoming environment, a great team, a great franchise.”

Although spending the majority of practice with his other linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his clubs. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a unit and united, but we have friends from all positions. My close friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – played receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for two years at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, specialists: we’ve have to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he represents more than just his home countries. “I would say all the countries beyond the United States. The better each one of us does, the greater number of youth who participate in Europe, in Germany, anywhere, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many youngsters hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to experience what I’ve experienced.”

The IPP graduates are all invited to Florida each year to train the next wave of potential NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us come back