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Although the United States is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is largely led by US-born athletes. Only 5% of participants are foreign-born, and most of them step into the game by attending college in the US. Genuine international figures are rare, and foreign coaches are particularly scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey remarkable.

James Cook’s Surprising Journey to the League

For the past six months, Cook has been in control of player development at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible given he was raised in England, is in his late 20s, and did not played professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his father and came across what he described as a “strange and amazing” game. He began participating in his area and soon wanted to become the first-ever NFL QB from Europe. He progressed to playing for Great Britain, but his dreams to attend college in the US proved too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys needed me, I would adjust my schedule and assist. 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 throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often buy me lunch.”

This is where he met Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he established the IPP program in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first-ever UK permanent coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting players,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Down Under to train 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

Like his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from working with international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting younger players, maximising time on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the coach and GM. It’s a really hands-on role, which is perfect for me. My experience was working with players from abroad who had never played the game. Rookie newcomers also have to build habits and routines: how to look after their body and handle a huge playbook. But also just being available for guys. That’s the identical across the board. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Englishman who never play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a perceived barrier than an actual one,” says Cook. “I get 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 ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the similar things and require help in the same ways. If players know you can help them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or what accent. And when people know that you care, all the other stuff fades.”

Advantages of Being Beyond the US System

Originating from outside the American football world has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we left, one of our linemen asked me about rugby with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and build relationships. People are truly curious. NFL organizations are varied than many think. We have people from various origins, a range of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing foreign fans than nurturing global talent. Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Sydney who won the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have risen to the elite level.

International Athletes and Their Paths

Foreign players have usually been specialists, brought in from different sports. Howfield exchanged playing up front for English clubs for becoming a kicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in England to the Falcons team. If you do not want to be a special teams player and were not trained in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding American football at Nottingham University, has made that step. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is just as unlikely. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the Italian was obviously not built for his preferred games, football and the sport, so took up the NFL in his late teens. He impressed while playing for teams in Austria and Europe, as well as the national side, and was offered a place on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a part of the Rams training team. Pircher went on to have spells on the fringes at the Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in every locker room but is hasn’t had action on the gridiron. Is his status as a international player still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a really inclusive culture, a excellent team, a top organization.”

Despite devoting most of training with his fellow linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his clubs. “Naturally the O-line is consistently close-knit because we are a group and united, but we have mates from all positions. My best friend, Landen Akers – my best man, in fact – was a wide receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Packers, Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for a while at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Future

Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say every nation outside the United States. The better each one of us performs, the greater number of youth who play football in Italy, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of kids contacting me, seeking tips. It’s nice to inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are welcomed to Florida annually to train the next wave of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us return