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Although the US is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is still led by American-born athletes. Only five percent 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 foreign coaches are especially rare, which makes James Cook’s story exceptional.

Cook’s Surprising Journey to the League

Cook has been in charge of player development at the Cleveland Browns. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and did not played pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his father and came across what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He began participating locally and soon wanted to become the first-ever NFL QB from Europe. He got as far as representing Team GB, but his plans to go to college in the US were financially prohibitive.

“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys needed me, I would adjust my schedule and help out. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear all over 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 periods with the 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 became part of the coaching team at the Falcons, making history as the first British permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting players,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I went to Australia to train aspiring athletes from across the Pacific to get them into college football, like what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to NFL Coaching

Like his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from training international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland called unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting rookies, maximising time on the training ground, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and GM. It’s a really active position, which is perfect for me. My background was working with international athletes who had not played the game. Rookie newcomers also have to build habits and schedules: how to take care of their body and deal with a massive game plan. But also just being present for players. That’s the identical across the board. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Englishman who did not compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a perceived barrier than an actual one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style comments and loads of players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the similar things and require support in the same ways. If players know you can help them, they don’t care about your origin or how you speak. And when players know that you care, all the rest melts away.”

Benefits of Being Outside the NFL Bubble

Coming from beyond the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I spoke 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 enjoys it. You build those bonds and build relationships. People are truly intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than many think. We have people from all sorts of backgrounds, a range of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing foreign fans than developing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Australia who won the championship recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have risen to the very top.

Foreign Athletes and Their Paths

International athletes have usually been kickers, brought in from different sports. Bobby Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for being a placekicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you do not want to be a special teams player and did not trained in the US college system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s youth team before discovering American football at Nottingham University, has made that step. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is just as improbable. At over two meters and heavyweight, the Italian was clearly not built for his preferred games, soccer and handball, so took up American football in his teenage years. He stood out while representing 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 held the championship trophy as a part of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have periods on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in each team but is yet to see game time on the field. Is being a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” says the player. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they ask: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a very inclusive culture, a excellent team, a great franchise.”

Although devoting most of training with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his clubs. “Obviously the O-line is always close-knit because we are a group and altogether one, but we have friends from all positions. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, actually – was a receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Packers, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, special teams: we’ve have to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he symbolizes not only Italy and Austria. “I would say all the countries beyond the United States. The more successful each one of us does, the more youth who participate in Europe, in Europe, wherever, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many youngsters contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to inspire them to experience what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are welcomed to the US annually to coach the next wave of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us come back