🔗 Share this article

While the United States is a nation of immigrants, the NFL is still led by US-born athletes. Only five percent of participants are foreign-born, and most of them step into the sport by going to college in the United States. Genuine outsiders are unusual, and coaches from abroad are particularly scarce, which renders James Cook’s story exceptional.

Cook’s Surprising Path to the League

Cook has been in charge of player development at the Browns organization. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he grew up in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and never played professional sport. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his father and stumbled upon what he called a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing locally and quickly wanted to become the first-ever NFL QB born in Europe. He got as far as representing Team GB, but his plans to attend university in the US proved too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people wanted me, I would adjust my schedule and assist. 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 usually buy me lunch.”

It was here that he encountered Aden Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the International Player Pathway program in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first British full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable players,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Australia to work with younger players from around the Pacific to introduce them to college football, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Like Durde before him, Cook transitioned from training international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting younger players, optimizing time on the training ground, collaborating with medical staff, the coach and general manager. It’s a really active position, which is ideal for me. My experience was working with international athletes who had not played the game. First-year newcomers also have to establish structure and routines: how to look after their body and handle a huge game plan. But also just being available for players. That’s the same everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Brit who never compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a imagined hurdle than an real one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style comments and many players call me ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the same things and need support in the identical ways. If players understand you can assist them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or what accent. And when people know that you care, all the rest fades.”

Advantages of Coming From Outside the US System

Originating from beyond the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen asked me about rugby with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and build relationships. Teammates are truly curious. NFL organizations are varied than many think. We have people from all sorts of origins, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so lean into it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been better at producing international supporters than nurturing global talent. Mailata, a former rugby player from Sydney who won the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have risen to the very top.

International Athletes and Their Paths

International athletes have typically been specialists, recruited from other football codes. Howfield exchanged playing up front for English clubs for being a kicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in England to the Atlanta Falcons roster. 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.

Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before discovering the sport at university, has made that step. He competed in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is equally unlikely. At over two meters and 23 stone, the from Italy was obviously not suited for his preferred games, soccer and the sport, so started American football in his teenage years. He impressed while representing teams in Austria and Germany, as well as the national side, and was given a place on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had spells on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in every locker room but is yet to see action on the field. Is being a international player still a hurdle?

“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a very inclusive environment, a excellent squad, a great franchise.”

Although spending most of training with his other linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his clubs. “Naturally the O-line is consistently close-knit because we are a group and altogether one, but we have friends from all positions. My best friend, Landen Akers – my best man, actually – played wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for two years at the Rams. QBs, defenders, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Motivating the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he symbolizes not only his home countries. “I would say all the countries beyond the United States. The better each one of us performs, the greater number of young people who play football in Europe, in Europe, anywhere, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself every day, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of youngsters hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”

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