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Although the US is a country of newcomers, the NFL is still led by US-born athletes. Just 5% of players are born abroad, and most of them step into the sport by going to university in the US. True international figures are unusual, and foreign coaches are particularly scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey remarkable.

James Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League

For the past six months, Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible considering he was raised in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and never 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” game. He started playing in his area and quickly wanted to become the first-ever NFL quarterback born in Europe. He got as far as representing Team GB, but his plans to attend college in the US were too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people wanted me, I would adjust my shifts and help out. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up all over London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”

It was here that 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 that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Falcons, becoming the first-ever British full-time coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting players,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Australia to work with younger players from around the Pacific region to introduce them to the US college system, like what I had hoped to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to Durde before him, Cook transitioned from working with international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland called out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting rookies, maximising efficiency on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and general manager. It’s a really active role, which is ideal for me. My experience was guiding international athletes who had never played the game. First-year newcomers also have to build structure and schedules: how to take care of their health and handle a huge game plan. But also just being available for guys. That’s the same across the board. And I love that.”

Does being an Brit who never compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an actual one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and many players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the same things and require support in the same ways. If players know you can help them, they don’t care about your origin or what accent. And when people know that you are invested, all the rest melts away.”

Benefits of Coming From Beyond the NFL Bubble

Originating from beyond the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and form friendships. People are genuinely curious. NFL buildings are varied than many think. We have people from various backgrounds, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing international supporters than developing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the Super Bowl recently with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have risen to the elite level.

Foreign Players and Their Paths

Foreign players have usually been specialists, recruited from other football codes. Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for being a kicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in St Albans to the Falcons team. If you do not want to be a special teams player and were not trained in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before finding American football at university, has achieved that. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s story is just as improbable. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his preferred games, football and the sport, so started American football in his late teens. He stood out while representing clubs in Austria and Germany, as well as the national side, and was offered a place on the IPP in 2021.

A year later, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a member of the Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have spells on the periphery at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in every locker room but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is his status as a international player still a challenge?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” says the player. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. Initially, they ask: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a very inclusive environment, a great squad, a great organization.”

Although spending the majority of training with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his clubs. “Naturally the offensive line is always close-knit because we are a unit and united, but we have mates from all positions. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – played wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for two years at the Rams. QBs, defenders, special teams: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is conscious he represents not only Italy and Austria. “I would say all the countries beyond the US. The more successful each one of us performs, the greater number of youth who participate in Italy, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself every day, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to encourage them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”

The IPP graduates are welcomed to Florida annually to train the new group of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us come back