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While the United States is a nation of immigrants, the National Football League is largely led by American-born athletes. Only 5% of players are born abroad, and most of them enter the game by attending university in the United States. True outsiders are unusual, and foreign coaches are particularly rare, which renders James Cook’s story exceptional.

Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League

Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Browns organization. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he was raised in England, is in his late 20s, and never played pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his dad and came across what he called a “strange and amazing” game. He began participating locally and soon wanted to become the first-ever NFL quarterback born in Europe. He got as far as representing Team GB, but his plans to attend university in the US proved too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys wanted me, I would switch my shifts and help out. As 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 wasn’t paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

It was here that he met Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Falcons, making history as the first-ever British permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable players,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the kicker from Ireland 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 Coaching in the NFL

Like Durde before him, Cook made the jump from training foreign players to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, optimizing efficiency on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and GM. It’s a very hands-on role, which is perfect for me. My background was working with players from abroad who had never played the game. First-year newcomers also have to build habits and schedules: learning to take care of their health and deal with a huge playbook. But also just being present for guys. That’s the identical across the board. And I love that.”

Is being an Brit who never compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a perceived barrier than an real one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style jokes and loads of players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and require help in the identical ways. If players know you can help them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or what accent. And when people know that you care, all the rest melts away.”

Advantages of Coming From Outside the US System

Coming from beyond the American football world has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and form friendships. Teammates are truly curious. NFL buildings are more diverse than people think. We have people from all sorts of origins, a variety of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been better at attracting foreign fans than developing foreign players. Mailata, a former rugby player from Australia who claimed the championship earlier this year with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have risen to the very top.

Foreign Players and Their Journeys

International athletes have typically been specialists, recruited from different sports. Howfield exchanged playing up front for English clubs for being a kicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in England to the Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and did not educated in the US college system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s academy before discovering American football at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s experience is just as improbable. At over two meters and 23 stone, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his preferred games, soccer and the sport, so took up the NFL in his late teens. He stood out while playing for clubs in Europe and Europe, as well as the national side, and was offered a spot on the IPP in 2021.

A year later, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have spells on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in each team but is hasn’t had game time on the gridiron. Is his status as a international player still a hurdle?

“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they ask: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a really inclusive culture, a great squad, a top franchise.”

Despite devoting the majority of practice with his other linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his clubs. “Obviously the O-line is always close-knit because we are a unit and united, but we have mates from all positions. My close friend, Akers – my best man, in fact – played receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Packers, Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for two years at the Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Future

Pircher is conscious he symbolizes not only Italy and Austria. “In my view every nation outside the United States. The more successful each one of us performs, the more youth who participate in Italy, in Europe, wherever, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are welcomed to the US each year to train the new group of aspiring NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us return