🔗 Share this article

Although the US is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is largely dominated by American-born players. Only five percent of players are foreign-born, and the majority of them step into the sport by going to college in the US. Genuine international figures are unusual, and coaches from abroad are particularly rare, which renders James Cook’s journey remarkable.

James Cook’s Surprising Journey to the League

Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Browns organization. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible considering he grew up in Surrey, is in his twenties, and did not participated in professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his father and came across what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing locally and soon wanted to become the first-ever NFL QB born in Europe. He progressed to playing for Great Britain, but his dreams to go to university in the US proved too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people wanted me, I would switch my shifts and help out. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they trained with players, I’d show up around London and throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

This is where he met Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he established the International Player Pathway programme in 2017 with two-time championship winner Osi 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, working with some really interesting players,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to work with aspiring athletes from around the Pacific region to introduce them to the US college system, like what I had hoped to do.”

Transitioning to NFL Coaching

Like his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from working with foreign players to joining the NFL. “The Browns called out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role supporting rookies, optimizing time on the training ground, working closely with physios, the coach and general manager. It’s a really active role, which is ideal for me. My background was working with players from abroad who had never played the sport. First-year rookies also have to build habits and routines: how to take care of their body and deal with a huge game plan. But also just being present for guys. That’s the same across the board. And I love that.”

Does being an Brit who did not play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a perceived hurdle than an real one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and many players call me ‘bruv’ as they love that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the same things and need help in the same ways. If players understand you can help them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or how you speak. And when players realize that you are invested, all the rest fades.”

Advantages of Being Beyond the NFL Bubble

Coming from beyond the American football world has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our linemen asked me about the sport with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and build relationships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are more diverse than people think. We have people from all sorts of backgrounds, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been more successful at attracting foreign fans than nurturing foreign players. Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who won the Super Bowl recently with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have risen to the very top.

International Players and Their Paths

International athletes have typically been kickers, recruited from other football codes. Howfield swapped playing up front for English clubs for becoming a placekicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; 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 extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s academy before discovering the sport at university, has made that step. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was obviously not suited for his preferred games, soccer and the sport, so took up American football in his late teens. He stood out while representing teams in Europe and Europe, as well as the national side, and was offered a place on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he had his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the Rams training team. Pircher went on to have periods on the periphery at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in every locker room but is hasn’t had action on the gridiron. Is his status as a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” says the player. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they ask: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a really welcoming culture, a great squad, a top franchise.”

Despite spending the majority of training with his fellow linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is consistently close-knit because we are a group and united, but we have friends from all positions. My best friend, Akers – my best man, in fact – played receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for a while 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 symbolizes not only his home countries. “In my view every nation outside the United States. The more successful every IPP graduate does, the greater number of youth who participate in Italy, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself every day, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many kids contacting me, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”

The IPP graduates are welcomed to Florida annually to coach the next wave of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us return