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Although the United States is a nation of newcomers, the NFL is largely dominated by American-born athletes. Only five percent of participants are foreign-born, and the majority of them step into the sport by attending university in the US. Genuine international figures are unusual, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which renders James Cook’s story exceptional.

James Cook’s Surprising Path to the NFL

Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Browns organization. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he was raised in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and never participated in pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing locally and quickly aspired to become the first 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 scooped popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys wanted me, I would switch my schedule and help out. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they trained with players, I’d appear all over London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”

This is where he met Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the International Player Pathway programme in 2017 with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Falcons, becoming the first-ever UK permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable guys,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to work with younger players from across the Pacific region to introduce them to college football, like what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Like Durde before him, Cook transitioned from training international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a hybrid role supporting rookies, optimizing efficiency on the training ground, working closely with medical staff, the coach and general manager. It’s a very hands-on role, which is perfect for me. My background was working with players from abroad who had never played the game. Rookie newcomers also have to build habits and routines: learning to look after their health and deal with a huge game plan. But also just being available for players. That’s the same across the board. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Brit who did not compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a perceived barrier than an real 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 monitoring my language. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the similar things and need support in the identical ways. If players know you can help them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or how you speak. And when people realize that you care, all the rest melts away.”

Benefits of Coming From Beyond the NFL Bubble

Coming from beyond the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen asked me about the sport with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and build relationships. Teammates are genuinely curious. NFL organizations are varied than people think. We have people from various origins, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been better at producing foreign fans than nurturing global talent. Mailata, a former rugby player from Sydney who claimed the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have made it to the elite level.

International Athletes and Their Journeys

International athletes have typically been kickers, recruited from other football codes. Bobby Howfield exchanged soccer for English clubs for becoming a kicker for the Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and were not educated in the US college system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.

Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s academy before discovering the sport at Nottingham University, has made that step. He played in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is equally unlikely. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the Italian was clearly not built for his preferred games, football and handball, so took up American football in his late teens. He impressed while representing clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the national side, and was offered a spot on the IPP in that year.

A year later, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have periods on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in every locker room but is hasn’t had action on the field. Is being a foreigner still a challenge?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” 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 – where are you from?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a very inclusive environment, a excellent team, a great organization.”

Although devoting the majority of practice with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Obviously the O-line is consistently close-knit because we are a unit and united, but we have friends from all positions. My best friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, actually – played wide receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Packers, Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for two years at the Rams. QBs, defenders, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Next Generation

Pircher is conscious he symbolizes not only Italy and Austria. “I would say all the countries beyond the United States. The better each one of us performs, the greater number of youth who play football in Europe, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in every day, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of kids contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The IPP graduates are welcomed to Florida annually to train the new group of potential NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us come back