🔗 Share this article

Although the US is a country of immigrants, the NFL is still led by US-born athletes. Just five percent of participants are foreign-born, and the majority of them step into the sport by going to university in the United States. True international figures are rare, and coaches from abroad are particularly scarce, which renders James Cook’s journey remarkable.

James Cook’s Surprising Journey to the League

Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible given he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and never played pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his father and stumbled upon what he called a “strange and amazing” game. He started playing in his area and quickly aspired to become the first NFL quarterback born in Europe. He progressed to playing for Team GB, but his dreams to attend college in the US proved financially prohibitive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys wanted me, I would switch my shifts and assist. As 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 throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”

This is where he met Aden Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the International Player Pathway program in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Falcons, becoming the first British full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable guys,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Australia to train aspiring athletes from around the Pacific to introduce them to the US college system, similar to what I had hoped to do.”

Making the Leap to NFL Coaching

Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from working with foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a hybrid role supporting rookies, maximising time on the training ground, working closely with physios, the head coach and GM. It’s a very hands-on role, which is perfect for me. My background was working with international athletes who had never played the game. Rookie rookies also have to build habits and routines: how to take care of their body and deal with a massive playbook. But also just being available for guys. That’s the same across the board. And I love that.”

Is being an Englishman who never compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a perceived barrier than an actual one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style comments and many players call me ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and need support in the same ways. If players know you can help them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or how you speak. And when people realize that you are invested, all the rest fades.”

Benefits of Coming From Beyond the NFL Bubble

Originating from outside the American football world has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and form friendships. People are truly intrigued. NFL buildings are varied than many think. We have people from all sorts of origins, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so lean into it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing international supporters than nurturing global talent. Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the championship recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have made it to the very top.

International Athletes and Their Journeys

Foreign players have typically been specialists, recruited from different sports. Howfield swapped playing up front for English clubs for becoming a kicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in England to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you do not want to be a special teams player and did not trained in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.

Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before finding American football at university, has made that step. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his favoured sports, football and the sport, so took up the NFL in his late teens. He impressed while representing clubs in Europe and Europe, as well as the national side, and was offered a spot on the IPP in that year.

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 fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is hasn’t had action on the field. Is being a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a really inclusive environment, a great team, a top franchise.”

Although spending the majority of training with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his clubs. “Obviously the offensive line is consistently close-knit because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have mates from every position group. My close friend, Akers – my wedding witness, actually – was a wide receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for two years at the Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Future

Pircher is aware he represents not only Italy and Austria. “In my view every nation beyond the US. The more successful each one of us performs, the greater number of youth who play football in Europe, in Europe, wherever, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of youngsters hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s nice to encourage them to experience what I’ve experienced.”

The program alumni are welcomed to the US annually to coach the next wave of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us come back