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Although the United States is a nation of immigrants, the NFL is largely dominated by US-born players. Only five percent of players are foreign-born, and the majority of them enter the game by going to college in the United States. Genuine international figures are unusual, and coaches from abroad are especially scarce, which makes James Cook’s story remarkable.

James Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL

Cook has been in charge of player development at the Browns organization. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he was raised in England, is in his late 20s, and did not participated in professional sport. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his dad and came across what he called a “weird and wonderful” sport. He began participating locally and soon wanted to become the first NFL quarterback from Europe. He progressed to representing Great Britain, but his plans to go to university in the US were financially prohibitive.

“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys wanted 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 appear around 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 stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he set up the International Player Pathway program in 2017 with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first-ever British full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable players,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Australia to train younger players from around the Pacific region to get them into college football, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Like his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from working with international athletes to joining the NFL. “The Browns called unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, optimizing efficiency on the training ground, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and general manager. It’s a very hands-on role, which is ideal for me. My experience was working with players from abroad who had not played the game. First-year rookies also have to build habits and schedules: how to take care of their health and handle a huge playbook. But also just being available for guys. That’s the same across the board. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Englishman who did not compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an real one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style jokes and loads of players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and require support in the same ways. If players understand you can help them, they don’t care where you’re from or what accent. And when people realize that you are invested, all the rest fades.”

Benefits of Being Outside the US System

Coming from outside the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we left, one of our linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are genuinely curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than people think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a range of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been better at producing foreign fans than nurturing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby player from Sydney who claimed the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have risen to the very top.

International Players and Their Paths

Foreign players have usually been specialists, recruited from other football codes. Howfield swapped soccer for English clubs for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in England to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you do not want to be a kicker and did not educated in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s academy before discovering the sport at Nottingham University, has made that step. He competed in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is just as improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the Italian was obviously not built for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so took up American football in his late teens. He stood out while representing teams in Austria and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was given a place on the IPP in 2021.

A year later, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have periods on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in every locker room but is yet to see game time on the gridiron. Is being a foreigner still a challenge?

“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the player. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. Initially, they ask: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a really welcoming environment, a excellent squad, a great franchise.”

Although spending the majority of practice with his other linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his clubs. “Obviously the offensive line is always close-knit because we are a unit and united, but we have mates from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my best man, actually – was a wide receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for two years at the Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Next Generation

Pircher is conscious he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say every nation outside the United States. The more successful every IPP graduate performs, the more young people who play football in Europe, in Europe, wherever, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in every day, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many kids contacting me, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to experience what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are welcomed to the US annually to coach the new group of potential NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us come back