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Although the US is a nation of immigrants, the National Football League is still led by US-born players. Only five percent of players are born abroad, and most of them step into the sport by attending college in the United States. Genuine international figures are rare, and coaches from abroad are particularly rare, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.

James Cook’s Surprising Path to the League

Cook has been in control of player development at the Cleveland Browns. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he grew up in England, is in his late 20s, and did not played professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his father and came across what he called a “weird and wonderful” game. He started playing in his area and quickly wanted to become the first NFL QB born in Europe. He progressed to playing for Great Britain, but his plans to attend college in the US proved too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys needed me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up all over London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

This is where he encountered Aden Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he set up the IPP program in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Falcons, becoming the first UK full-time 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; Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from around the Pacific to get them into the US college system, like what I had hoped to do.”

Transitioning to NFL Coaching

Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned 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 supporting rookies, optimizing time on the training ground, working closely with physios, the coach and general manager. It’s a really hands-on position, which is ideal for me. My background was working with international athletes who had not played the sport. First-year newcomers also have to build structure and schedules: how to take care of their health and handle a massive game plan. But also just being present for players. That’s the same everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Englishman who did not play in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a imagined hurdle than an real one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso 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 need support in the same ways. If players know you can assist them, they don’t care where you’re from or what accent. And when people know that you care, all the other stuff fades.”

Benefits of Coming From 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 the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are more diverse than people think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been better at producing international supporters than nurturing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who won the championship earlier this year with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have risen to the elite level.

Foreign Athletes and Their Paths

International athletes have typically been kickers, brought in from other football codes. Howfield swapped playing up front for Watford and Fulham for being a placekicker for the Denver 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 were not educated in the American system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.

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

Maximilian Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At over two meters and heavyweight, the Italian was obviously not built for his preferred games, soccer and handball, so started American football in his late teens. He stood out while representing teams in Austria and Germany, as well as the national side, and was given a place on the IPP in that year.

The following year, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the LA Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had spells on the fringes at the Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in each team but is hasn’t had game time on the gridiron. Is being a international player still a challenge?

“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” says the player. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a really welcoming environment, a great squad, a top organization.”

Although spending most of training with his fellow linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Naturally the O-line is consistently very tight because we are a group and altogether one, but we have mates from all positions. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for two years at the LA Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is conscious he represents not only his home countries. “In my view all the countries outside the US. The more successful each one of us does, the greater number of youth who participate in Italy, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in every day, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many youngsters hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to experience what I’ve experienced.”

The IPP graduates are all invited to Florida each year to coach the new group of potential NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us return