The Athletes and Coaches Not Born in the United States

While the US is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is largely dominated by US-born players. Just 5% of players are born abroad, and most of them enter the sport by attending university in the United States. True international figures are unusual, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which renders James Cook’s story exceptional.

Cook’s Surprising Journey to the League

Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Browns organization. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and did not participated in professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he called a “weird and wonderful” sport. He began participating locally and soon wanted to become the first-ever NFL QB born in Europe. He got as far as playing for Great Britain, but his dreams to attend university in the US were too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping 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 key skill I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up all over London and throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”

This is where he encountered Aden Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the International Player Pathway program in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Falcons, making history as the first British full-time coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting guys,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from around the Pacific region to get them into college football, like what I had hoped to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to Durde before him, Cook transitioned from training international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns called out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting younger players, optimizing efficiency on the training ground, working closely with medical staff, the coach and GM. It’s a really active role, which is ideal for me. My experience was guiding players from abroad who had not played the sport. First-year rookies also have to establish structure and schedules: how to look after their health and handle a massive playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the same across the board. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Brit who did not play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a perceived hurdle than an actual one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style comments and loads of players call me ‘bruv’ as they love that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘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 aren’t concerned where you’re from or what accent. And when players know that you care, all the other stuff fades.”

Benefits of Being Beyond the NFL Bubble

Originating from beyond the NFL bubble 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 the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. Teammates are truly intrigued. NFL buildings are varied than people think. We have people from various origins, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been better at producing foreign fans than nurturing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the championship recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have risen to the elite level.

International Athletes and Their Paths

International athletes have typically been kickers, brought in from different sports. Howfield exchanged playing up front for English clubs for being a kicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in St Albans to the Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and were not trained in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding American football at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He played in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is just as improbable. At over two meters and 23 stone, the from Italy was obviously not suited for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so took up the NFL in his teenage years. He stood out while playing for teams in Europe and Europe, as well as the national side, and was offered a spot 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 periphery at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in each team but is hasn’t had game time on the gridiron. Is his status as a foreigner still a challenge?

“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” notes 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 clarify that, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a really welcoming culture, a great team, a great franchise.”

Despite devoting the majority of training with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his clubs. “Naturally the O-line is consistently very tight because we are a group and united, but we have mates from every position group. My close friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, actually – was a receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for a while at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is conscious he represents not only Italy and Austria. “In my view every nation beyond the United States. The more successful every IPP graduate performs, the greater number of youth who play football in Europe, in Europe, wherever, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself every day, I can succeed.’ I have a many youngsters contacting me, seeking tips. It’s nice to inspire them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”

The IPP graduates are all invited to Florida each year to coach the next wave of potential NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us return