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While the United States is a country of immigrants, the NFL is still dominated by US-born players. Just five percent of participants are foreign-born, and most of them enter the sport by attending university in the US. True outsiders are rare, and coaches from abroad are especially rare, which makes James Cook’s story exceptional.

James Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the NFL

Cook has been in charge of player development at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he was raised in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and never participated in professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his father and stumbled upon what he described as a “strange and amazing” game. He started playing in his area and quickly aspired to become the first NFL QB from Europe. He progressed to representing Team GB, but his dreams to go to college in the US were too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people needed me, I would switch 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 appear around London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”

It was here that he encountered Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he established the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first UK permanent coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting players,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to train younger players from across the Pacific to get them into college football, like what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Like his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from training international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, optimizing efficiency on the training ground, collaborating with physios, the head coach and GM. It’s a very hands-on role, which is perfect for me. My background was working with players from abroad who had never played the game. Rookie rookies also have to establish habits and schedules: learning to take care of their health and deal with a huge game plan. But also just being available for players. That’s the same across the board. And I love that.”

Is being an Englishman who did not compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a perceived hurdle than an real one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style jokes and many players call me ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the same things and need help in the same ways. If players understand you can help them, they don’t care where you’re from or what accent. And when players realize that you are invested, all the other stuff melts away.”

Advantages of Coming From Outside the US System

Coming from beyond the American football world has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen asked me about the sport with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and form friendships. Teammates are truly intrigued. NFL organizations are more diverse than many think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a variety of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been more successful at attracting foreign fans than developing global talent. Mailata, a former rugby player from Australia who won the Super Bowl recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have made it to the elite level.

International Athletes and Their Paths

International athletes have typically been kickers, brought in from different sports. Howfield swapped playing up front for English clubs for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in St Albans to the Falcons team. If you do not want to be a special teams player and did not trained in the American system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding 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 Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is just as unlikely. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the Italian was clearly not built for his favoured sports, soccer and handball, so took up the NFL in his teenage years. He impressed while representing teams in Austria and Germany, as well as the national side, and was given a spot on the IPP in that year.

The following year, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a part of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had spells on the fringes at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in every locker room but is yet to see game time on the field. Is his status as a international player still a challenge?

“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a really inclusive culture, a excellent team, a top organization.”

Despite spending most of practice with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his teams. “Naturally the O-line is consistently very tight because we are a unit and united, but we have mates from all positions. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for two years at the LA Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Future

Pircher is conscious he represents not only Italy and Austria. “I would say all the countries outside the United States. The better each one of us does, the more young people who play football in Italy, in Europe, wherever, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in every day, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many youngsters hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to experience what I’ve experienced.”

The program alumni are all invited to the US each year to train the next wave of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us come back