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Although the United States is a country of newcomers, the National Football League is largely dominated by American-born athletes. Only five percent of participants are foreign-born, and most of them enter the game by attending college in the US. True international figures are rare, and foreign coaches are particularly scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.

Cook’s Surprising Journey to the NFL

Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible given he was raised in England, is in his late 20s, and never played professional sport. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his dad and stumbled upon what he called a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing in his area and quickly aspired to become the first-ever NFL quarterback born in Europe. He got as far as representing Great Britain, but his plans to go to college in the US proved too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys needed me, I would switch my shifts and help out. Being a quarterback, the key skill 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 often buy me lunch.”

It was here that he met Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he established the IPP programme 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 British full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable players,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from around the Pacific region to get them into the US college system, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Like his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from working with foreign players to joining the NFL. “Cleveland called unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, optimizing efficiency on the practice field, working closely with physios, the head coach and general manager. It’s a very active role, which is perfect for me. My experience was working with international athletes who had not played the sport. First-year rookies also have to build structure and routines: how to take care of their body and handle a massive playbook. But also just being present for players. That’s the same everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Englishman who never play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a imagined hurdle than an real one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style jokes and loads of players call me ‘bruv’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the similar things and require help in the identical ways. If players know you can help them, they don’t care where you’re from or what accent. And when players realize that you care, all the other stuff melts away.”

Benefits of Being Beyond the US System

Originating from outside the American football world has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are truly intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than many think. We have staff from all sorts of origins, a range of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so lean into it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at attracting international supporters than nurturing global talent. Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have risen to the very top.

Foreign Athletes and Their Journeys

International athletes have usually been specialists, recruited from other football codes. Howfield swapped soccer for English clubs for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in England to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and were not trained in the US college system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s academy before discovering American football at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He played in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is equally unlikely. At over two meters and heavyweight, the Italian was obviously not suited for his preferred games, football and the sport, so started American football in his late teens. He impressed while representing clubs in Austria and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a spot on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he had his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had periods on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in each team but is hasn’t had action on the field. Is being a international player still a challenge?

“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a really inclusive culture, a great team, a great organization.”

Despite spending the majority of training with his other linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his clubs. “Obviously the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have friends from every position group. My best friend, Landen Akers – my best man, in fact – was a wide receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for a while at the Rams. QBs, defenders, special teams: we’ve have to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Next Generation

Pircher is conscious he symbolizes more than just Italy and Austria. “In my view every nation beyond the US. The better every IPP graduate performs, the greater number of young people who play football in Italy, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in every day, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, seeking tips. It’s nice to encourage them to experience what I’ve achieved.”

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