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While the United States is a country of immigrants, the NFL is still dominated by American-born players. Just 5% of participants are born abroad, and the majority of them step into the game by attending university in the United States. Genuine outsiders are unusual, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which makes James Cook’s story remarkable.

James Cook’s Surprising Journey to the League

For the past six months, Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible considering he was raised in England, is in his twenties, and did not participated in professional sport. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “weird and wonderful” game. He started playing in his area and quickly aspired to become the first NFL quarterback born in Europe. He progressed to representing Team GB, but his dreams to go to college in the US were too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, doing 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 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 get me lunch.”

This is where he encountered Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he established the IPP program in that year with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first-ever UK permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting players,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from across the Pacific region to get them into the US college system, like what I had hoped to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from training foreign players to joining the NFL. “The Browns contacted me out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role supporting younger players, maximising time on the training ground, collaborating with medical staff, the head coach and general manager. It’s a really hands-on role, which is ideal for me. My background was guiding international athletes who had not played the sport. First-year newcomers also have to build habits and schedules: how to take care of their body and handle a huge playbook. But also just being available 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 largely a imagined barrier than an actual one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and many players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the similar things and need help in the same ways. If players understand you can help them, they don’t care about your origin or how you speak. And when people know that you are invested, all the other stuff fades.”

Benefits of Being Outside the NFL Bubble

Originating from beyond the American football world has its advantages. “I addressed in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen asked me about the sport with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and form friendships. Teammates are genuinely curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than people think. We have people from all sorts of backgrounds, a variety of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing foreign fans than developing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby player from Australia who claimed the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have risen to the elite level.

Foreign Athletes and Their Journeys

International athletes have usually been kickers, brought in from other football codes. Bobby Howfield swapped playing up front for English clubs for being a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in England to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a kicker and were not trained in the American system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding the sport at university, has made that step. He competed in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is just as unlikely. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the Italian was clearly not built for his favoured sports, soccer and handball, so took up the NFL in his teenage years. He impressed while playing for teams in Austria and Germany, as well as the national side, and was offered a place on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had spells on the fringes at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in every locker room but is hasn’t had game time on the gridiron. Is being a international player still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the player. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a really welcoming environment, a excellent team, a top franchise.”

Despite devoting the majority of practice with his other linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his clubs. “Obviously the O-line is consistently close-knit because we are a group and united, but we have friends from all positions. My best friend, Landen Akers – my best man, actually – was a receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve have to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he symbolizes not only his home countries. “I would say every nation outside the US. The more successful each one of us performs, the greater number of young people who participate in Europe, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to experience what I’ve experienced.”

The IPP graduates are all invited to the US annually to train the next wave of potential NFL internationals. “Almost all of us come back