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While the United States is a nation of immigrants, the NFL is largely dominated by US-born athletes. Only 5% of players are foreign-born, and the majority of them enter the sport by going to university in the United States. Genuine international figures are unusual, and foreign coaches are particularly rare, which makes James Cook’s journey remarkable.

James Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League

For the past six months, Cook has been in control of player development at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible considering he was raised in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “weird and wonderful” sport. He began participating in his area and quickly aspired to become the first NFL quarterback born in Europe. He progressed to representing Great Britain, but his plans to go to university 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 adjust my shifts and help out. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up all over London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

It was here that he met Durde, who had periods with the Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he established the International Player Pathway program in 2017 with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first British full-time coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable players,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I went to Australia to train aspiring athletes from across the Pacific region to get them into the US college system, similar to what I had hoped to do.”

Transitioning to NFL Coaching

Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from working with international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, maximising efficiency on the practice field, collaborating with physios, the head coach and GM. It’s a very hands-on role, which is perfect for me. My experience was working with international athletes who had never played the sport. First-year newcomers also have to establish habits and schedules: how to take care of their body and handle a massive game plan. But also just being present for guys. That’s the same across the board. And I love that.”

Does being an Englishman who never play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a perceived hurdle than an actual one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and many players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they love that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and need support in the identical ways. If players understand you can assist them, they don’t care about your origin or what accent. And when players realize that you care, all the rest fades.”

Benefits of Being Outside the NFL Bubble

Originating from outside the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we left, one of our linemen asked me about the sport with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and build relationships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are varied than many think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a variety of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been more successful at attracting international supporters than nurturing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the championship recently with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have risen to the very top.

International Athletes and Their Journeys

International athletes have usually been specialists, recruited from different sports. Howfield swapped playing up front for Watford and Fulham for becoming a kicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a special teams player and did not educated in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s academy before finding American football at Nottingham University, has made that step. He competed in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s experience is just as unlikely. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was obviously not suited for his preferred games, soccer and the sport, so started the NFL in his teenage years. He impressed while representing teams in Austria and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was given a spot on the IPP in that year.

A year later, he held the championship trophy as a part of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have spells on the periphery at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is being a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” says the player. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. Initially, they ask: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a really inclusive culture, a great team, a top organization.”

Despite spending most of practice with his other linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his clubs. “Naturally the offensive 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 wedding witness, in fact – was a wide receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Packers, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for two years at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, specialists: we’ve have to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Future

Pircher is aware he represents not only Italy and Austria. “I would say every nation outside the US. The better every IPP graduate performs, the greater number of youth who play football in Italy, in Europe, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in every day, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of kids contacting me, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to experience what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are all invited to the US each year to coach the new group of potential NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us come back