These Players and Coaches Not Born in the United States
While the US is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is still led by American-born athletes. Just 5% of participants are foreign-born, and most of them step into the sport by attending college in the United States. True outsiders are rare, and foreign coaches are especially 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 charge of player development at the Browns organization. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he grew up in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and never participated in professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his father and stumbled upon what he called a “strange and amazing” game. He began participating locally and quickly aspired to become the first NFL quarterback born in Europe. He got as far as playing for Team GB, but his plans to go to college in the US were financially prohibitive.
“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people needed me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d appear around London and throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often buy me lunch.”
This is where he met Durde, who had periods with the Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he established the IPP programme in that year with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first-ever British permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting guys,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to train aspiring athletes from across the Pacific region to get them into college football, similar to what I had hoped to do.”
Transitioning to NFL Coaching
Similar to Durde before him, Cook made the jump from training foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns contacted me unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a hybrid role supporting younger players, maximising time on the training ground, collaborating with physios, the coach and general manager. It’s a very hands-on role, which is ideal for me. My experience was guiding international athletes who had not played the sport. Rookie newcomers also have to build habits and schedules: learning to look after their health and deal with a massive playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the identical everywhere. And I enjoy that.”
Does being an Englishman who did not compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an actual one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style jokes and many players call me ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the similar things and require support in the same ways. If players know you can assist them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or how you speak. And when people realize that you care, all the rest fades.”
Advantages of Being Beyond the US System
Coming from outside the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen asked me about the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL buildings are varied than many think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a range of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”
The NFL has been better at producing international supporters than developing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Australia who won the championship recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have made it to the very top.
Foreign Athletes and Their Paths
Foreign players have usually been specialists, recruited from other football codes. Bobby Howfield swapped playing up front for English clubs for becoming a kicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in England to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not educated in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.
Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before discovering the sport at university, has achieved that. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.
Maximilian Pircher’s story is just as improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the Italian was obviously not built for his preferred games, football and the sport, so took up the NFL in his teenage years. He stood out while representing clubs in Europe and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a spot on the IPP in 2021.
A year later, he held the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had periods on the fringes at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is hasn’t had action on the gridiron. Is his status as a foreigner still a challenge?
“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” says the player. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a really welcoming culture, a excellent squad, a great franchise.”
Despite devoting the majority of training with his fellow linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is consistently close-knit because we are a group and united, but we have mates from every position group. My close friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a wide 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. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve have to be supportive.”
Motivating the Future
Pircher is aware he symbolizes not only Italy and Austria. “I would say all the countries beyond the United States. The more successful each one of us does, the more youth who play football in Europe, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of kids contacting me, seeking tips. It’s nice to inspire them to experience what I’ve achieved.”
The program alumni are all invited to the US annually to train the next wave of potential NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us return
