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While the United States is a nation of immigrants, the NFL is still dominated by US-born players. Only five percent of participants are born abroad, and the majority of them enter the game by attending university in the US. Genuine outsiders are unusual, and coaches from abroad are particularly rare, which makes James Cook’s journey remarkable.

James Cook’s Surprising Path to the NFL

For the past six months, Cook has been in control of player development at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he grew up in England, is in his late 20s, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his dad and stumbled upon what he called a “strange and amazing” game. He started playing locally and quickly wanted to become the first NFL QB born in Europe. He got as far as playing for Great Britain, but his plans to attend college in the US were too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people needed me, I would switch my shifts and help out. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d show up around London and throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”

It was here that he met Aden Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he set up the IPP program in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first-ever UK full-time coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting players,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Australia to train younger players from across the Pacific region to get them into the US college system, like what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to Durde 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 supporting younger players, optimizing efficiency on the training ground, working closely with physios, the head coach and GM. It’s a really hands-on position, which is perfect for me. My experience was working with international athletes who had never played the game. First-year newcomers also have to establish structure and routines: learning to take care of their health and deal with a huge playbook. But also just being present for guys. That’s the same everywhere. And I love that.”

Does being an Brit who did not compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a perceived hurdle than an actual one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style jokes and many players call me ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and require help in the same ways. If players understand you can help them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or what accent. And when players know that you care, all the rest melts away.”

Advantages of Being Outside the US System

Originating from beyond the American football world has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and build relationships. Teammates are truly intrigued. NFL organizations are more diverse than many think. We have people from all sorts of backgrounds, a variety of upbringings. 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 foreign fans than developing global talent. Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the championship earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the very top.

International Athletes and Their Journeys

International athletes have typically been specialists, recruited from other football codes. Howfield exchanged playing up front for Watford and Fulham for being a placekicker for the Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and did not educated in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo 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 CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is just as unlikely. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not built for his favoured sports, football and the sport, so started the NFL in his teenage years. He impressed while playing for teams in Europe and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was given a spot on the IPP in that year.

The following year, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have periods on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in each team but is yet to see game time on the field. Is being a international player still a hurdle?

“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the player. “We have players from various regions, 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 all friends. The Vikings have a really inclusive culture, a excellent squad, a top franchise.”

Despite spending most of training with his fellow linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his clubs. “Obviously the O-line is always very tight because we are a group and united, but we have mates from all positions. My close friend, Landen Akers – my best man, actually – played receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is conscious he symbolizes more than just his home countries. “I would say all the countries outside the United States. The better each one of us does, the more young people who participate in Italy, in Europe, anywhere, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of youngsters hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to experience what I’ve experienced.”

The program alumni are all invited to Florida each year to coach the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Almost all of us return