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While the US is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is still dominated by US-born players. Only 5% of players are foreign-born, and most of them enter the sport by going to university in the US. Genuine international figures are rare, and coaches from abroad are especially scarce, which renders James Cook’s story remarkable.

James Cook’s Surprising Path to the NFL

Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he was raised in England, is in his twenties, and never played professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He began participating in his area and quickly aspired to become the first NFL QB from Europe. He progressed to playing for Great Britain, but his plans to go to university in the US were too expensive.

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

This is where he met Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first UK permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting players,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I went to Down Under to work with younger players from across the Pacific region to get them into the US college system, like what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to NFL Coaching

Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a hybrid role supporting rookies, maximising time on the practice field, working closely with physios, the coach and GM. It’s a really hands-on role, which is perfect for me. My background was guiding international athletes who had not played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to establish structure and schedules: learning to take care of their health and deal with a massive game plan. But also just being present for players. That’s the same everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Englishman who did not compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an actual one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and many players call me ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and need support in the identical ways. If players understand you can assist them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or what accent. And when players realize that you are invested, all the rest fades.”

Advantages of Coming From Beyond the NFL Bubble

Coming from outside the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen asked me about the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and form friendships. Teammates are genuinely intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than people think. We have people from all sorts of backgrounds, a variety of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing foreign fans than nurturing foreign players. Mailata, a former rugby league player from Australia who won the championship earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the elite level.

International Players and Their Journeys

International athletes have usually been specialists, recruited from different sports. Howfield swapped soccer for Watford and Fulham for becoming a placekicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in England to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and were 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 achieved that. He played in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pircher’s story is just as unlikely. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not built for his preferred games, soccer and handball, so started the NFL in his teenage years. He stood out while playing for teams in Europe and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a spot on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have spells on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is hasn’t had game time on the gridiron. Is his status as a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” notes 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, once we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a really inclusive environment, a excellent team, a great franchise.”

Despite spending most of practice with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Naturally the offensive line is always close-knit because we are a group and altogether one, but we have mates from all positions. My best friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a wide receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for two years at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “In my view all the countries outside the United States. The better each one of us performs, the greater number of young people who participate in Europe, in Europe, anywhere, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are all invited to Florida annually to train the new group of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us return