The Players and Coaches Born Outside in the USA
While the United States is a nation of immigrants, the National Football League is still dominated by American-born athletes. Just five percent of players are foreign-born, and most of them enter the sport by going to university in the United States. Genuine outsiders are rare, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which makes James Cook’s story exceptional.
Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League
For the past six months, Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he grew up in England, is in his late 20s, and never participated in pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his dad and came across what he called a “strange and amazing” sport. He began participating locally and quickly wanted to become the first NFL QB born in Europe. He progressed to representing Great Britain, but his plans to go to college in the US proved too expensive.
“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people wanted me, I would switch my schedule and assist. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up around London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often buy me lunch.”
This is where he met Aden Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he established the International Player Pathway programme in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first UK full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting guys,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I went to Down Under to work with younger players from around the Pacific region to introduce them to college football, like what I had hoped to do.”
Making the Leap to NFL Coaching
Similar to Durde before him, Cook made the jump from training foreign players to joining the NFL. “Cleveland called out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role supporting rookies, maximising efficiency on the training ground, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and GM. It’s a very hands-on position, which is ideal for me. My background was working with players from abroad who had not played the game. Rookie rookies also have to establish habits and schedules: how to look after their health and handle a huge game plan. But also just being present for players. That’s the identical everywhere. And I love that.”
Is being an Brit who never compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an actual one,” states 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 checking myself. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and require help in the same ways. If players understand you can assist them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or how you speak. And when players know that you care, all the rest fades.”
Benefits of Being Beyond the NFL Bubble
Coming from outside the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen asked me about the sport with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and form friendships. Teammates are truly intrigued. NFL organizations are varied than people think. We have people from various backgrounds, a variety of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”
The NFL has been better at attracting international supporters than developing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby player from Sydney who won the championship earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have risen to the elite level.
Foreign Athletes and Their Journeys
International athletes have usually been specialists, brought in from different sports. Bobby Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in England to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not trained in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.
Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s youth team before discovering the sport at Nottingham University, has made that step. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Maximilian Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the from Italy was obviously not built for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so took up the NFL in his teenage years. He stood out while representing clubs in Austria and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a place on the IPP in 2021.
A year later, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had periods on the periphery at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in each team but is hasn’t had game time on the field. Is his status as a foreigner still a challenge?
“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a very inclusive environment, a great team, a great franchise.”
Despite devoting the majority of training with his fellow linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is always very tight because we are a group and united, but we have friends from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a wide receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”
Motivating the Future
Pircher is conscious he symbolizes not only his home countries. “I would say every nation outside the US. The better every IPP graduate does, the more youth who play football in Europe, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in every day, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of youngsters hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s nice to inspire them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”
The program alumni are welcomed to Florida each year to train the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us come back
