🔗 Share this article

While the US is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is still dominated by US-born athletes. Only five percent of participants are born abroad, and most of them enter the game by going to college in the US. True outsiders are unusual, and foreign coaches are particularly scarce, which makes James Cook’s story remarkable.

Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the NFL

Cook has been in control of player development at the Cleveland Browns. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he grew up in England, is in his late 20s, and never participated in professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his dad and came across what he described as a “weird and wonderful” game. He started playing in his area and quickly wanted to become the first NFL quarterback born in Europe. He progressed to playing for Team GB, but his plans to attend university in the US were financially prohibitive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people wanted me, I would switch my shifts and help out. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d show up all over London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often buy me lunch.”

It was here that he encountered Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he established the International Player Pathway programme in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first-ever British permanent coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable guys,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to train aspiring athletes from across the Pacific to get them into the US college system, like what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to NFL Coaching

Similar to Durde before him, Cook transitioned from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting rookies, optimizing time on the practice field, collaborating with physios, the coach and general manager. It’s a really active position, which is perfect for me. My background was guiding players from abroad who had never played the game. Rookie newcomers also have to build habits and schedules: learning to take care of their health and handle a massive game plan. But also just being present for guys. That’s the identical everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Englishman who did not compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of 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 say ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and require help in the same ways. If players understand you can assist them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or what accent. And when players realize that you are invested, all the rest melts away.”

Advantages of Being Outside the US System

Coming from beyond the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he loves it. You make those connections and form friendships. Teammates are truly curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than people think. We have people from various origins, a variety of upbringings. Our saying 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 foreign fans than developing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Sydney who won the Super Bowl recently with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have made it to the very top.

International Players and Their Paths

International athletes have typically been specialists, brought in from other football codes. Howfield exchanged playing up front for English clubs for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and did not trained in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding American football at 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 experience is just as improbable. At over two meters and 23 stone, the Italian was clearly not built for his favoured sports, soccer and handball, so took up American football in his late teens. He stood out while representing teams in Austria and Europe, as well as the national side, and was offered a spot on the IPP in that year.

The following year, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had periods on the periphery at the Lions, Seattle 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 yet to see game time on the field. Is being a foreigner still a challenge?

“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the player. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they ask: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a very inclusive environment, a great squad, a great organization.”

Despite devoting the majority of training with his other linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Obviously the O-line is always close-knit because we are a group and united, but we have mates from every position group. My best friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for two years at the LA Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Next Generation

Pircher is conscious he symbolizes more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say every nation beyond the United States. The more successful each one of us does, the more youth who participate in Europe, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself every day, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many youngsters contacting me, seeking tips. It’s nice to inspire them to experience what I’ve achieved.”

The IPP graduates are all invited to the US each year to coach the new group of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us come back