While the US is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is still dominated by US-born players. Only five percent of players are born abroad, and the majority of them step into the sport by attending college in the US. True international figures are rare, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.
For the past six months, Cook has been in charge of player development at the Cleveland Browns. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he grew up in England, is in his twenties, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his father and came across what he called a “strange and amazing” sport. He began participating in his area and quickly aspired to become the first-ever NFL QB from Europe. He got as far as representing Great Britain, but his plans to go to university in the US proved too expensive.
“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys needed me, I would switch my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the one thing 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 Aden Durde, who had periods with the Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the IPP programme in 2017 with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Falcons, making history as the first UK permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable players,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to train aspiring athletes from across the Pacific region to get them into the US college system, like what I wanted to do.”
Like his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from training foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland called unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, optimizing time on the training ground, working closely with physios, the coach and GM. It’s a very hands-on position, which is perfect for me. My experience was working with international athletes who had not played the game. First-year newcomers also have to establish structure and routines: learning to look after their health and deal with a huge game plan. But also just being available for players. That’s the identical across the board. And I enjoy that.”
Is being an Englishman who never play 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 comments and many players call me ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure 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 how you speak. And when players know that you are invested, all the rest fades.”
Coming from outside the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen asked me about rugby with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. Teammates are genuinely curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than many think. We have people from various origins, a range of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”
The NFL has been better at producing foreign fans than nurturing global talent. Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Australia who claimed the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have risen to the elite level.
Foreign players have typically been specialists, recruited from other football codes. Bobby Howfield exchanged playing up front for English clubs for being a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a special teams player and were not educated in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.
Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s youth team before discovering American football at Nottingham University, has made that step. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and 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 preferred games, soccer and the sport, so started the NFL in his teenage years. He impressed while playing for clubs in Austria and Germany, 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 Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have spells on the fringes at the Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in each team but is hasn’t had action on the gridiron. Is being a foreigner still a hurdle?
“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” says the player. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they ask: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a really inclusive culture, a excellent squad, a great organization.”
Despite devoting the majority of practice with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his clubs. “Naturally the O-line is always very tight because we are a unit and united, but we have mates from all positions. My close friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, actually – played wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for two years at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve have to be there for each other.”
Pircher is conscious he represents more than just his home countries. “In my view every nation beyond the US. The more successful every IPP graduate performs, the greater number of young people who participate in Italy, in Europe, anywhere, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself every day, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of youngsters hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to experience what I’ve achieved.”
The program alumni are all invited to Florida annually to train the next wave of potential NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us return
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