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Although the US is a nation of immigrants, the National Football League is still led by American-born athletes. Just five percent of participants are born abroad, and the majority of them enter the sport by going to university in the US. Genuine outsiders are rare, and foreign coaches are particularly rare, which renders James Cook’s journey exceptional.

Cook’s Surprising Path to the League

Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Browns organization. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible given he grew up in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and never played pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He began participating in his area and quickly aspired to become the first-ever NFL quarterback from Europe. He progressed to representing Great Britain, but his dreams to attend 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 wanted me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d appear around London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”

This is where he encountered Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he established the IPP programme in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Falcons, becoming the first-ever British permanent coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable guys,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to work with aspiring athletes from around the Pacific to get them into college football, similar to 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 out of the blue,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting younger players, maximising time on the training ground, collaborating with physios, the head coach and GM. It’s a very hands-on role, which is ideal for me. My experience was guiding international athletes who had never played the sport. First-year newcomers also have to establish habits and routines: learning to look after their health and handle a huge game plan. But also just being present for players. That’s the same across the board. And I love that.”

Is being an Brit who never play in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an actual one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and many players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the same things and require support in the same ways. If players understand you can assist them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or how you speak. And when players know that you care, all the rest fades.”

Benefits of Coming From Beyond the NFL Bubble

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 enjoys it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are genuinely curious. NFL buildings are varied than people think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a range of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been more successful at attracting international supporters than developing global talent. Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Sydney who won the Super Bowl recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have made it to the elite level.

Foreign Athletes and Their Journeys

International athletes have typically been kickers, brought in from other football codes. Howfield exchanged playing up front for Watford and Fulham for becoming a kicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in England to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not educated in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before discovering the sport at university, has made that step. He competed in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the from Italy was obviously not suited for his favoured sports, soccer and handball, so took up the NFL in his late teens. He stood out while playing for teams in Europe and Europe, as well as the national side, and was offered a place on the IPP in 2021.

A year later, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have periods on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is yet to see action on the field. Is being a international player still a challenge?

“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a really welcoming environment, a great team, a top organization.”

Although devoting the majority of training with his other linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his teams. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a group and united, but we have friends from all positions. My close friend, Landen Akers – my best man, in fact – was a 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 LA Rams. QBs, defenders, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Future

Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just his home countries. “I would say all the countries beyond the US. The more successful every IPP graduate does, the more youth who play football in Europe, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, seeking tips. It’s nice to encourage them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The IPP graduates are welcomed to the US annually to train the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us come back