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Although the United States is a nation of immigrants, the NFL is still led by US-born players. Only five percent of players are foreign-born, and the majority of them enter the game by attending university in the US. Genuine international figures are rare, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which renders James Cook’s story exceptional.

James Cook’s Unlikely Path to the League

Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and never played pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his father and stumbled upon what he called a “strange and amazing” game. He began participating in his area and quickly aspired to become the first-ever NFL quarterback from Europe. He got as far as representing Great Britain, but his plans to go to university in the US were financially prohibitive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys needed me, I would switch my schedule and assist. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear all over London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”

This is where he encountered Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he established the International Player Pathway programme in 2017 with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Falcons, becoming the first-ever British full-time coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting players,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Australia to train aspiring athletes from across the Pacific to introduce them to college football, like what I had hoped to do.”

Transitioning to NFL Coaching

Similar to Durde before him, Cook made the jump from working with international athletes to joining the NFL. “The Browns contacted me out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, maximising efficiency on the training ground, collaborating with medical staff, the coach and general manager. It’s a really active role, which is perfect for me. My background was guiding players from abroad who had not played the game. First-year newcomers also have to establish habits and schedules: learning to look after their body and handle a huge game plan. But also just being available for guys. That’s the identical across the board. And I love that.”

Is being an Englishman who did not compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a perceived hurdle than an actual one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and many players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they love that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and require support in the same ways. If players know you can assist them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or what accent. And when people know that you are invested, all the rest fades.”

Benefits of Coming From Outside the US System

Coming from outside the American football world has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen asked me about rugby with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and form friendships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are varied than many think. We have staff from all sorts of origins, a variety of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been better at attracting international supporters than nurturing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Australia who claimed the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have risen to the very top.

International Athletes and Their Paths

Foreign players have usually been kickers, recruited from other football codes. Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for being a kicker for the Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in England to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you do not want to be a kicker and were not trained in the American system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.

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

Pircher’s story is just as unlikely. At over two meters and 23 stone, the Italian was obviously not suited for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so took up the NFL in his teenage years. He stood out while playing for clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the national side, and was offered a spot on the IPP in that year.

A year later, 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 periphery at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota 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 being a international player still a challenge?

“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” notes the player. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. Initially, they ask: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a really welcoming culture, a great squad, a great organization.”

Although spending the majority of training with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his teams. “Obviously the O-line is consistently close-knit because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have friends from every position group. My best friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. QBs, defenders, specialists: we’ve have to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Next Generation

Pircher is conscious he represents more than just his home countries. “In my view all the countries beyond the US. The more successful every IPP graduate does, the greater number of young people who play football in Italy, in Germany, anywhere, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s nice to inspire them to experience what I’ve experienced.”

The program alumni are welcomed to the US each year to coach the next wave of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us return