These Athletes and Coaches Not Born in the United States
Although the US is a country of newcomers, the National Football League is largely dominated by US-born players. Just five percent of participants are born abroad, and most of them step into the game by going to university in the US. True international figures are rare, and coaches from abroad are especially scarce, which renders James Cook’s story exceptional.
Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League
For the past six months, Cook has been in control of player development at the Cleveland Browns. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible considering he was raised in England, is in his twenties, and never participated in professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “weird and wonderful” sport. He started playing in his area and quickly wanted to become the first-ever NFL quarterback born in Europe. He progressed to playing for Great Britain, but his plans to attend university in the US proved too expensive.
“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people needed me, I would switch my schedule and help out. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d show up all over London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”
This is where he met Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the IPP programme in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Falcons, making history as the first UK full-time coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable players,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to work with younger players from around the Pacific region to introduce them to the US college system, similar to what I wanted to do.”
Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL
Similar to Durde before him, Cook transitioned from training international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a hybrid role supporting rookies, maximising efficiency on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and general manager. It’s a very hands-on position, which is perfect for me. My background was working with players from abroad who had never played the game. Rookie newcomers also have to establish structure and routines: learning to look after their body and handle a massive playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the identical everywhere. And I love that.”
Is being an Englishman who did not play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a perceived barrier than an real one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style comments and loads of players call me ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the similar things and require support in the identical ways. If players understand you can help them, they don’t care about your origin or how you speak. And when players realize that you care, all the other stuff melts away.”
Advantages of Coming From Outside the US System
Originating from outside the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are genuinely curious. NFL buildings are more diverse than many think. We have staff from all sorts of origins, a variety of experiences. 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 attracting foreign fans than nurturing foreign players. Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Sydney who won the championship recently with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have risen to the very top.
Foreign Athletes and Their Journeys
Foreign players have typically been kickers, brought in from other football codes. Bobby Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for becoming a kicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in England to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not educated in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.
Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of 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 Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so took up American football in his late teens. He stood out while playing for clubs in Austria and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was given a place on the IPP in 2021.
A year later, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had spells on the fringes at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in each team but is yet to see game time on the gridiron. Is being a international player still a hurdle?
“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they ask: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a really welcoming environment, a great squad, a top franchise.”
Although spending the majority of training with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Naturally the offensive line is always very tight because we are a group and altogether one, but we have mates from every position group. My close friend, Akers – my wedding witness, actually – played wide receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for two years at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, special teams: we’ve have to be supportive.”
Motivating the Next Generation
Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just his home countries. “In my view every nation outside the United States. The better every IPP graduate performs, the greater number of youth who participate in Italy, in Europe, wherever, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of kids hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”
The program alumni are welcomed to Florida each year to train the next wave of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us return
