The Athletes and Coaches Born Outside in the USA
While the United States is a country of newcomers, the National Football League is largely led by US-born players. Just 5% of players are foreign-born, and the majority of them enter the sport by going to university in the US. Genuine international figures are rare, and coaches from abroad are especially scarce, which renders James Cook’s story exceptional.
Cook’s Surprising Path to the League
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 extraordinary considering he grew up in England, is in his late 20s, and never played pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his father and stumbled upon what he called a “weird and wonderful” sport. He started playing in his area and soon aspired to become the first NFL QB from Europe. He progressed to representing Great Britain, but his plans to attend university in the US proved financially prohibitive.
“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people needed me, I would adjust my schedule and help out. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d appear around London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”
This is where he met Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he established the International Player Pathway program in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first-ever UK full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting players,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to work with younger players from across the Pacific region 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 foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, optimizing time on the training ground, collaborating with physios, the coach and general manager. It’s a very hands-on role, which is perfect for me. My background was working with international athletes who had never played the sport. Rookie newcomers also have to establish structure and schedules: how to look after their health and deal with a huge playbook. But also just being present for guys. That’s the same everywhere. And I enjoy that.”
Does being an Englishman who never compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a imagined barrier than an real one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style jokes and loads of players call me ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the similar things and require support in the same ways. If players understand you can help them, they don’t care where you’re from or what accent. And when people know that you care, all the other stuff melts away.”
Benefits of Coming From Outside the US System
Coming from beyond 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 linemen asked me about the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. Teammates are genuinely intrigued. NFL buildings are varied than people think. We have people from various backgrounds, a range 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 international supporters than developing foreign players. Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Australia who won the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players 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 swapped playing up front for English clubs for becoming a kicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in England to the Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and were not educated in the US college system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.
Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s academy before discovering American football at university, has made that step. He played in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pircher’s experience is just as improbable. At over two meters and 23 stone, the from Italy was clearly not built for his preferred games, football and handball, so started American football in his teenage years. He stood out while playing for clubs in Austria and Germany, 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 championship trophy as a member of the Rams training team. Pircher went on to have periods on the periphery at the Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he joined the 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 being a international player still a challenge?
“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” says the 26-year-old. “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, after we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a really inclusive culture, a great squad, a great franchise.”
Despite spending the majority of practice with his other linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is always very tight because we are a unit and united, but we have friends from every position group. My best friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, actually – was a wide receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for a while at the Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve got to be supportive.”
Motivating the Next Generation
Pircher is conscious he symbolizes not only his home countries. “In my view every nation outside the United States. The better each one of us performs, the greater number of young people who play football in Italy, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to encourage them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”
The program alumni are welcomed to the US annually to train the new group of aspiring NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us come back
