The Athletes and Coaches Not Born in the United States

Although the United States is a country of immigrants, the NFL is largely dominated by American-born players. Just 5% of players are foreign-born, and most of them step into the sport by going to university in the United States. Genuine international figures are rare, and foreign coaches are particularly rare, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.

Cook’s Unlikely Path to the League

Cook has been in control of player development at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible given he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and did not participated in professional sport. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He began participating in his area and quickly wanted to become the first NFL QB from Europe. He progressed to representing Great Britain, but his plans to attend college in the US proved too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people needed 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 didn’t get paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”

This is where he met Aden 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 championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team 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, coaching some really interesting players,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to train younger players from across the Pacific region to introduce them to college football, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to NFL Coaching

Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from training international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns contacted me unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a hybrid role supporting younger players, maximising time on the practice field, collaborating with physios, the head coach and GM. It’s a really active position, which is perfect for me. My experience was working with players from abroad who had never played the sport. First-year rookies also have to build habits and schedules: learning to look after their health and handle a massive playbook. But also just being available for guys. That’s the identical everywhere. And I love that.”

Is being an Brit who never play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a perceived barrier than an real one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style jokes and many players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the same things and need help in the same ways. If players know you can help them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or how you speak. And when players know that you care, all the rest fades.”

Benefits of Being Beyond the US System

Coming from beyond the American football world has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and build relationships. Teammates are genuinely curious. NFL buildings are varied than many think. We have people from various origins, a variety of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been better at attracting international supporters than developing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Sydney who won the championship recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have risen to the very top.

Foreign Athletes 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 placekicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in St Albans to the Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and did not trained in the American system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.

Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s academy before finding American football at university, has made that step. He played in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s experience is just as improbable. At over two meters and 23 stone, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his preferred games, football and handball, so started American football in his teenage years. He stood out while representing clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the national side, and was offered a spot on the IPP in 2021.

A year later, he held the championship trophy as a member of the Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have spells on the fringes at the Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in each team but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is being a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. Initially, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a really welcoming environment, a great squad, a top franchise.”

Despite spending the majority of practice with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his teams. “Naturally the O-line is always very tight because we are a group and united, but we have friends from all positions. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, actually – was a receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for two years at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve have to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Future

Pircher is aware he represents more than just his home countries. “In my view every nation beyond the US. The more successful every IPP graduate does, the more young people who participate in Italy, in Germany, wherever, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to encourage them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are welcomed to the US annually to coach the new group of aspiring NFL internationals. “Almost all of us come back