The Players and Coaches Not Born in the United States
While the United States is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is still dominated by US-born players. Just five percent of players are born abroad, and the majority of them step into the sport by going to university in the US. Genuine outsiders are unusual, and coaches from abroad are especially rare, which renders James Cook’s journey remarkable.
Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League
Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Browns organization. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he grew up in Surrey, is in his twenties, and never played professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his father and stumbled upon what he called a “weird and wonderful” game. He began participating in his area and soon wanted to become the first-ever NFL quarterback from Europe. He progressed to playing for Great Britain, but his dreams to go to college in the US were too expensive.
“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people needed me, I would adjust my schedule and help out. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d show up all over London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often buy me lunch.”
It was here that he met Durde, who had periods with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he established the International Player Pathway program in that year with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first British full-time coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable players,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to work with aspiring athletes from across the Pacific to get them into college football, similar to what I wanted to do.”
Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL
Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role supporting rookies, maximising efficiency on the practice field, collaborating with medical staff, the head coach and general manager. It’s a very hands-on role, which is perfect for me. My background was guiding players from abroad who had never played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to build structure and routines: how to take care of their health and handle a massive playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the identical everywhere. And I enjoy that.”
Does being an Brit who did not play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a imagined 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 like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the same things and require help in the same ways. If players know you can help them, they don’t care where you’re from or what accent. And when people know that you care, all the other stuff melts away.”
Benefits of Being Beyond the US System
Originating from outside the American football world has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we left, one of our linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and form friendships. People are genuinely curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than people think. We have staff from all sorts of origins, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”
The NFL has been more successful at attracting foreign fans than developing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Australia who claimed the championship recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have made it to the very top.
Foreign Athletes and Their Journeys
Foreign players have usually been specialists, brought in from different sports. Bobby Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for becoming a kicker for the Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and did not educated in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.
Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s academy before discovering American football at university, has achieved that. He competed in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Maximilian Pircher’s story is just as unlikely. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the Italian was clearly not built for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so started American football in his teenage years. He stood out while representing teams in Austria and Europe, as well as the national side, and was offered a spot on the IPP in 2021.
A year later, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had periods on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is his status as a foreigner still a challenge?
“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a really inclusive environment, a excellent squad, a great franchise.”
Although devoting the majority of practice with his fellow linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his clubs. “Obviously the O-line is always close-knit because we are a group and united, but we have friends from all positions. My best friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – played wide receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Packers, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for two years at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
Pircher is conscious he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say all the countries beyond the US. The better every IPP graduate does, the greater number of youth who participate in Europe, in Europe, wherever, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s nice to encourage them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”
The IPP graduates are all invited to Florida each year to train the next wave of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us come back
