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Although the United States is a nation of immigrants, the National Football League is largely dominated by US-born players. Only five percent of players are born abroad, and most of them enter the game by going to college in the United States. Genuine international figures are unusual, and coaches from abroad are especially rare, which renders James Cook’s journey remarkable.

James Cook’s Surprising Path to the NFL

For the past six months, Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible given he grew up in Surrey, is in his twenties, and never 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 NFL QB born in Europe. He progressed to playing for Great Britain, but his plans to attend college in the US were financially prohibitive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys needed me, I would switch my shifts and assist. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d appear all over London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”

It was here that he met Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he established the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming 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 Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to train younger players from across the Pacific region to introduce them to the US college system, like what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to NFL Coaching

Similar to Durde before him, Cook made the jump from working with international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland called out of the blue,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting younger players, optimizing efficiency on the training ground, working closely with physios, the coach and GM. It’s a very hands-on position, which is ideal for me. My experience was guiding players from abroad who had never played the sport. First-year newcomers also have to build structure and routines: how to look after their health and handle a huge game plan. But also just being available for players. That’s the same across the board. And I love that.”

Does being an Brit who did not compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a perceived barrier than an actual one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style jokes and loads of players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous 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 about your origin or what accent. And when players realize that you are invested, all the other stuff melts away.”

Advantages of Coming From Beyond the US System

Originating from outside the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen asked me about the sport with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and form friendships. People are truly curious. NFL buildings are varied than many think. We have people from various origins, a variety of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been better at producing foreign fans than nurturing foreign players. Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Australia who won the Super Bowl recently with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the very top.

International Athletes and Their Paths

Foreign players have typically been kickers, recruited from different sports. Bobby Howfield swapped soccer for English clubs for becoming a placekicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not educated in the US college system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.

Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s academy before discovering American football at Nottingham University, has made that step. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At over two meters and 23 stone, the Italian was clearly not suited for his preferred games, soccer and the sport, so started American football in his late teens. He stood out while representing teams in Europe and Europe, as well as the national side, and was given 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 subsequently had spells on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is yet to see game time on the field. Is being a international player still a hurdle?

“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. Initially, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a very welcoming environment, a excellent squad, a great organization.”

Although spending the majority of training with his other linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his teams. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a unit and united, but we have friends from every position group. My close friend, Landen Akers – my best man, in fact – was a receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for two years at the LA Rams. QBs, defenders, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he represents more than just his home countries. “I would say all the countries outside the United States. The more successful every IPP graduate performs, the greater number of youth who participate in Europe, in Europe, wherever, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself every day, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of youngsters hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

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