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Although the US is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is largely led by US-born players. Just 5% of participants are born abroad, and the majority of them step into the sport by going to college in the United States. Genuine international figures are unusual, and coaches from abroad are particularly scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.

James Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL

For the past six months, Cook has been in charge of player development at the Browns organization. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible given he grew up in England, is in his twenties, and never played pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his dad and came across what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He began participating locally and soon aspired to become the first-ever NFL quarterback from Europe. He got as far as representing Great Britain, but his dreams to go to college in the US proved too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys needed me, I would adjust my schedule and help out. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear all over London and throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”

It was here that he encountered Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he set up the IPP programme in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Falcons, becoming the first-ever UK full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting players,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to train younger players from across the Pacific to introduce them to the US college system, like what I had hoped to do.”

Transitioning to NFL Coaching

Like his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from working with foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns called unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting younger players, maximising efficiency on the practice field, collaborating with medical staff, the coach and general manager. It’s a very active role, which is perfect for me. My background was guiding international athletes who had not played the game. Rookie rookies also have to establish habits and routines: how to look after their health and deal with a massive playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the same everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Englishman who never play in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a perceived barrier than an actual one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and loads of players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the similar things and require support in the identical ways. If players understand you can assist them, they don’t care about your origin or how you speak. And when people know that you care, all the rest fades.”

Benefits of Being Beyond the NFL Bubble

Coming from beyond the American football world has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we left, one of our linemen asked me about the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. Teammates are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are varied than many think. We have staff from all sorts of origins, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing foreign fans than developing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby 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 elite level.

International Players and Their Journeys

Foreign players have usually been specialists, brought in from different sports. Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for being a placekicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in England to the Falcons team. If you do not want to be a kicker and were not trained in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s academy before discovering American football at university, has made that step. He played in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At over two meters and 23 stone, the Italian was clearly not suited for his preferred games, football and the sport, so started the NFL 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 that year.

The following year, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had periods on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in each team but is hasn’t had action on the field. Is his status as a foreigner still a challenge?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they ask: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a really inclusive environment, a excellent squad, a great organization.”

Although spending the majority of training with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his clubs. “Obviously the O-line is consistently very tight because we are a unit and united, but we have mates from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – played receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for two years at the Rams. QBs, defenders, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Motivating the Next Generation

Pircher is conscious he represents more than just his home countries. “I would say all the countries outside the United States. The better every IPP graduate performs, the more youth who play football in Italy, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, seeking tips. It’s nice to inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are welcomed to the US each year to coach the next wave of potential NFL internationals. “Almost all of us return