🔗 Share this article

Although the United States is a country of newcomers, the National Football League is still led by American-born players. Just 5% of players are born abroad, and most of them enter the sport by going to college in the United States. True international figures are unusual, and foreign coaches are especially rare, which renders James Cook’s journey remarkable.

James Cook’s Surprising Journey to the League

Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Browns organization. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he was raised in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “weird and wonderful” sport. He started playing in his area and soon wanted to become the first-ever NFL QB from Europe. He got as far as representing Great Britain, but his dreams to go to university in the US were financially prohibitive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys needed me, I would switch 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 around London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often buy me lunch.”

This is where he encountered Aden Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he established the International Player Pathway programme in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first British permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable guys,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Australia to train younger players from around the Pacific region to get them into the US college system, similar to what I had hoped to do.”

Making the Leap to NFL Coaching

Similar to Durde before him, Cook transitioned from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting rookies, maximising time on the training ground, collaborating with physios, the coach and general manager. It’s a really active role, which is perfect for me. My background was working with international athletes who had never played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to establish habits and routines: learning to look after their health and deal with a huge playbook. But also just being present for players. That’s the same across the board. And I love that.”

Is being an Englishman who did not compete 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 call me ‘bruv’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the similar things and need help in the identical ways. If players know you can assist them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or what accent. And when players realize that you are invested, all the other stuff melts away.”

Advantages of Coming From Beyond the US System

Originating from outside the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he loves it. You make those connections and form friendships. Teammates are genuinely intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than many think. We have people from various backgrounds, a range of upbringings. Our saying 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 foreign fans than nurturing global talent. Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Australia who won the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have made it to the very top.

International Athletes and Their Paths

Foreign players have typically been kickers, brought in from other football codes. Bobby Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for becoming a placekicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby in England to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and did not trained in the American 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 finding the sport at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He played in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s experience is just as improbable. At over two meters and heavyweight, the Italian was obviously not built for his preferred games, football and the sport, so started the NFL in his late teens. He stood out while representing clubs in Austria and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was given a spot on the IPP in that year.

The following year, he held the championship trophy as a part of the Rams training team. Pircher went on to have periods 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 each team but is yet to see game time on the field. Is his status as a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” notes the player. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a really inclusive culture, a excellent squad, a top franchise.”

Although devoting most of practice with his other linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his clubs. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a group and altogether one, but we have friends from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my best man, actually – played receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the LA Rams. QBs, defenders, special teams: we’ve have to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he represents more than just his home countries. “I would say all the countries beyond the United States. The more successful every IPP graduate does, the more young people who participate in Europe, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to experience what I’ve achieved.”

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