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Although the US is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is still led by US-born athletes. Only 5% of participants are foreign-born, and the majority of them step into the game by going to college in the US. True international figures are rare, and foreign coaches are particularly rare, which renders James Cook’s story exceptional.

James Cook’s Surprising Path to the League

For the past six months, Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Browns organization. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible given he grew up in Surrey, is in his twenties, 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 locally and quickly wanted to become the first NFL quarterback from Europe. He got as far as playing for Great Britain, but his plans to go to college in the US were financially prohibitive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys wanted me, I would switch my shifts and help out. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up all over London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”

It was here that he met Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he set up the IPP programme in 2017 with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Falcons, making history as the first-ever UK 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 was selected by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from across the Pacific region to introduce them to the US college system, similar to what I wanted 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 multi-faceted position assisting younger players, optimizing efficiency on the training ground, working closely with medical staff, the coach and GM. It’s a very hands-on role, which is perfect for me. My experience was guiding international athletes who had not played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to establish structure and schedules: learning to look after their health and deal with a massive game plan. But also just being available for guys. That’s the identical everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Brit who never play in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a perceived barrier than an actual one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style jokes and loads of 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 under pressure about the same things and need help in the same ways. If players understand you can help 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 Coming From Beyond the US System

Originating from outside the American football world has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and form friendships. Teammates are truly intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than people think. We have staff from all sorts of origins, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been better at producing foreign fans than nurturing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who won the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the elite level.

International Athletes and Their Journeys

International athletes have typically been kickers, brought in from other football codes. Bobby Howfield swapped playing up front for Watford and Fulham for being a kicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in England to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a kicker and did not trained in the American system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s academy before discovering the sport at university, has achieved that. He played in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At over two meters and 23 stone, the from Italy was obviously not suited for his preferred games, football and handball, so took up American football in his teenage years. He stood out while playing for clubs in Europe and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a spot on the IPP in that year.

The following year, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a member of the Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had spells on the periphery at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is hasn’t had game time on the field. Is his status as a international player still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” notes 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 clarify that, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a really welcoming environment, a great team, a great organization.”

Despite devoting most of training with his other linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Obviously the O-line is always very tight because we are a unit and united, but we have mates from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, actually – played receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for a while at the Rams. QBs, defenders, specialists: we’ve have to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is aware he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “In my view all the countries beyond the US. The more successful every IPP graduate performs, the more youth who participate in Europe, in Europe, anywhere, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in every day, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of kids contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to encourage them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”

The IPP graduates are all invited to Florida each year to train the new group of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us return