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While the US is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is still dominated by American-born athletes. Only five percent of players are foreign-born, and the majority of them enter the game by going to university in the United States. Genuine international figures are rare, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey remarkable.

Cook’s Unlikely Path to the League

Cook has been in charge of player development at the Cleveland Browns. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible given he grew up in Surrey, is in his twenties, and did not played pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he called a “strange and amazing” game. He started playing in his area and quickly aspired to become the first NFL quarterback born in Europe. He progressed to playing for Team GB, but his plans to attend college in the US were too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people needed me, I would switch my shifts and help out. As a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up around London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”

This is where he met Aden Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he set up the IPP programme in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Falcons, making history as the first-ever British permanent coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable guys,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I went to Down Under 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.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to Durde before him, Cook transitioned from working with foreign players to joining the NFL. “The Browns called unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, optimizing time on the practice field, working closely with physios, the head coach and general manager. It’s a really active role, which is perfect for me. My experience was working with players from abroad who had not played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to establish structure and routines: learning to look after their body and handle a huge game plan. But also just being available for players. That’s the identical across the board. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Brit who did not compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an actual one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and many players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the similar things and need 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 people know that you care, all the other stuff melts away.”

Benefits of Being Outside the NFL Bubble

Coming from beyond the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I addressed in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and form friendships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL buildings are varied than people think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a variety of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been better at attracting international supporters than nurturing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby player from Australia who won the Super Bowl recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have made it to the elite level.

Foreign Players and Their Paths

International athletes have typically been kickers, brought in from different sports. Bobby Howfield swapped playing up front for Watford and Fulham for being a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in England to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you do not want to be a special teams player and did not trained in the US college system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before finding the sport at university, has made that step. He competed in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s experience is just as unlikely. At over two meters and 23 stone, the Italian was obviously not built for his favoured sports, football and handball, so started the NFL in his teenage years. He impressed while playing for clubs in Austria and Germany, as well as the Italy team, 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 LA Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have periods on the periphery at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is his status as 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. At first, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a very welcoming environment, a excellent squad, a top organization.”

Although spending most of training with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is always close-knit because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have friends from all positions. My close friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say all the countries outside the US. The better every IPP graduate does, the greater number of youth who play football in Europe, in Germany, anywhere, 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 rewarding to inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The IPP graduates are all invited to the US annually to coach the new group of potential NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us come back