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While the US is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is still dominated by US-born athletes. Only 5% of players are foreign-born, and most of them enter the game by attending university in the United States. Genuine outsiders are unusual, and coaches from abroad are particularly rare, which renders James Cook’s story remarkable.

James Cook’s Surprising Journey to the League

For the past six months, Cook has been in control of player development at the Browns organization. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible considering he grew up in England, is in his late 20s, and never played professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his father and stumbled upon what he described as a “weird and wonderful” sport. He started playing in his area and quickly aspired to become the first NFL QB born in Europe. He got as far as playing for Great Britain, but his plans to go to college in the US proved financially prohibitive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys wanted me, I would switch my schedule and assist. As a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear around London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

This is where he met Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the IPP program in 2017 with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first-ever British full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable players,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Australia to train younger players from across the Pacific to get them into college football, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Like his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from working with foreign players to joining the NFL. “The Browns called out of the blue,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, maximising time on the training ground, working closely with physios, the head coach and general manager. It’s a really active role, which is ideal for me. My background was guiding international athletes who had never played the game. First-year rookies also have to build structure and routines: learning to take care of their body and deal with a huge game plan. But also just being available for guys. That’s the identical across the board. And I love that.”

Does being an Englishman who never compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a imagined hurdle than an actual one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and many players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the similar things and require help in the identical ways. If players understand you can help them, they don’t care about your origin or what accent. And when players know that you care, all the rest melts away.”

Advantages of Coming From Beyond the US System

Originating from outside the American football world has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we left, one of our linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and build relationships. Teammates are truly curious. NFL organizations are varied than people think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a range of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing international supporters than developing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby player from Sydney who won the championship 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 Journeys

International athletes have typically been specialists, recruited from different sports. Bobby Howfield swapped playing up front for Watford and Fulham for being a placekicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a special teams player and were not educated 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 discovering the sport at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He competed in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is just as unlikely. At over two meters and 23 stone, the Italian was obviously not suited for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so took up the NFL in his late teens. He impressed while playing for clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the national side, and was given a place on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have spells on the fringes at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in each team but is hasn’t had action 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. Initially, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a really welcoming culture, a excellent team, a top organization.”

Although spending the majority of training with his other linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his clubs. “Obviously the O-line is always very tight because we are a group and altogether one, but we have friends from all positions. My best friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, actually – was a receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Future

Pircher is conscious he represents not only Italy and Austria. “I would say all the countries beyond the US. The better every IPP graduate does, the more young people who play football in Italy, in Europe, wherever, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids contacting me, seeking tips. It’s nice to encourage them to experience what I’ve experienced.”

The program alumni are welcomed to Florida annually to coach the new group of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us return