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Although the US is a nation of immigrants, the NFL is still led by US-born athletes. Only five percent of players are born abroad, and the majority of them step into the sport by attending university in the US. True outsiders are rare, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey remarkable.

James Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL

Cook has been in charge of player development at the Browns organization. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible given he grew up in Surrey, is in his twenties, and never participated in 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” sport. He began participating in his area and quickly wanted to become the first NFL QB from Europe. He got as far as playing for Team GB, but his plans to go to college in the US were too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people wanted me, I would switch my schedule and help out. 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 throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often buy me lunch.”

It was here that he met Aden Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he set up the International Player Pathway program in 2017 with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Falcons, becoming the first British full-time coach in NFL history, 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 was selected by Buffalo; Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to work with younger players from around the Pacific region to get them into the US college system, like what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Like his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from working with international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, optimizing efficiency on the practice field, collaborating with medical staff, the head coach and general manager. It’s a very active role, which is perfect for me. My background was working with players from abroad who had never played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to establish habits and schedules: how to take care of their body and deal with a huge game plan. But also just being present for guys. That’s the identical everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Brit who never play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a imagined barrier than an real one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style comments and loads of players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the same things and require help in the identical ways. If players know you can help them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or how you speak. And when players know that you are invested, all the other stuff melts away.”

Benefits of Being Beyond the US System

Originating from outside the American football world has its advantages. “I addressed in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen asked me about rugby with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. Teammates are genuinely curious. NFL buildings are varied than people think. We have people from various origins, a range of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at attracting international supporters than nurturing foreign players. Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who won the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have risen to the elite level.

International Athletes and Their Journeys

International athletes have usually been kickers, recruited from different sports. Howfield exchanged soccer for English clubs for being a kicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in England to the Falcons team. If you do not want to be a kicker and did not trained in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.

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

Maximilian Pircher’s story is just as unlikely. At over two meters and 23 stone, the Italian was clearly not suited for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so took up American football in his teenage years. He impressed while playing for clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was given a place on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have periods on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in each team but is yet to see action on the field. Is his status as a foreigner still a challenge?

“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they ask: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a very inclusive environment, a great squad, a top organization.”

Although devoting most of training with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his clubs. “Obviously the offensive line is consistently close-knit because we are a group and altogether one, but we have mates from all positions. My close friend, Landen Akers – my best man, in fact – played wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for two years at the Rams. QBs, defenders, special teams: we’ve have to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he represents not only his home countries. “In my view all the countries outside the United States. The more successful each one of us performs, the more young people who participate in Italy, in Europe, anywhere, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to experience what I’ve experienced.”

The IPP graduates are welcomed to the US annually to train the next wave of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us come back