These Athletes and Coaches Not Born in the USA
While the United States is a country of immigrants, the NFL is largely led by American-born athletes. Only five percent of players are foreign-born, and most of them step into the game by going to university in the US. Genuine international figures are unusual, and foreign coaches are particularly scarce, which renders James Cook’s story exceptional.
James Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the NFL
Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Browns organization. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he was raised in England, is in his twenties, and never participated in professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his father and came across what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing locally and quickly aspired to become the first-ever NFL quarterback from Europe. He progressed to playing for Team GB, but his plans to attend university in the US were too expensive.
“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people wanted me, I would switch my shifts and help out. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up around London and throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”
This is where he met Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he established the IPP program in 2017 with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first UK full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable guys,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to work with younger players from around the Pacific to get them into the US college system, similar to what I had hoped to do.”
Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL
Similar to Durde before him, Cook transitioned from working with international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, optimizing time on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and GM. It’s a really active role, which is perfect for me. My background was working with international athletes who had never played the sport. First-year newcomers also have to build structure and routines: how to look after their health and deal with a huge playbook. But also just being available for guys. That’s the identical everywhere. And I love that.”
Is being an Brit who never compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a imagined hurdle than an actual one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and many players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the similar things and require help in the same ways. If players understand you can help them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or what accent. And when players know that you are invested, all the other stuff fades.”
Advantages of Being Outside the US System
Originating from beyond the American football world has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and form friendships. Teammates are genuinely curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than people think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a range of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”
The NFL has been better at producing foreign fans than developing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby player from Australia who won the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have made it to the elite level.
Foreign Players and Their Paths
Foreign players have typically been kickers, brought in from different sports. Bobby Howfield swapped playing up front for English clubs for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in England to the Falcons team. If you do not want to be a kicker and were not trained in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.
Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s academy before discovering the sport at university, has made that step. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Steelers.
Maximilian Pircher’s experience is just as unlikely. At over two meters and 23 stone, the from Italy was clearly not built for his preferred games, football and the sport, so took up the NFL in his teenage years. He impressed while playing for clubs in Austria and Germany, as well as the national side, and was offered a spot on the IPP in that year.
A year later, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had periods on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in every locker room but is yet to see game time on the field. Is being a international player still a challenge?
“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a really inclusive culture, a great squad, a great franchise.”
Despite devoting the majority of practice with his fellow linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his clubs. “Obviously the offensive line is always close-knit because we are a group and united, but we have mates from every position group. My best friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – played receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for two years at the Rams. QBs, defenders, special teams: we’ve have to be supportive.”
Motivating the Future
Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just his home countries. “I would say all the countries beyond the US. The more successful each one of us performs, the more youth who participate in Europe, in Europe, wherever, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of youngsters hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to experience what I’ve achieved.”
The IPP graduates are all invited to the US each year to train the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us come back