The Players and Trainers Born Outside in the United States
Although the US is a nation of newcomers, the NFL is still led by American-born players. Only five percent of participants are foreign-born, and most of them step into the game by going to university in the US. Genuine outsiders are unusual, and coaches from abroad are especially rare, which makes James Cook’s story remarkable.
James Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL
Cook has been in control of player development at the Browns organization. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible given he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and did not played professional sport. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing locally and soon wanted to become the first-ever NFL quarterback born in Europe. He got as far as representing Great Britain, but his plans to attend university in the US were too expensive.
“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys needed me, I would switch my shifts and help out. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d appear around London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”
This is where he met Aden Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he set up the International Player Pathway program in that year with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first-ever British full-time coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting players,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to work with younger players from across the Pacific region to introduce them to college football, similar to what I had hoped to do.”
Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL
Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting younger players, optimizing time on the training ground, collaborating with medical staff, the head coach and general manager. It’s a very active role, which is perfect for me. My background was guiding international athletes who had never played the sport. First-year rookies also have to establish structure and schedules: learning to look after their health and deal with a huge playbook. But also just being present for guys. That’s the identical everywhere. And I love that.”
Does being an Englishman who did not play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a imagined hurdle than an real one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style comments and loads of players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they love that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the similar things and need help in the same ways. If players know you can help them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or what accent. And when players know that you are invested, all the other stuff fades.”
Advantages of Being Beyond the NFL Bubble
Coming from beyond the NFL bubble 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 the sport with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and form friendships. Teammates are genuinely curious. NFL buildings are more diverse than people think. We have staff from all sorts of origins, a variety of upbringings. Our mantra 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 foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby player from Australia who claimed the championship recently with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have made it to the elite level.
Foreign Athletes and Their Paths
International athletes have typically been kickers, brought in from different sports. Howfield exchanged playing up front for Watford and Fulham for becoming a kicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not trained in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.
Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s youth team before finding American football at university, has made that step. He competed in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pircher’s story is just as improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the Italian was clearly not built for his favoured sports, football and the sport, so took up the NFL in his teenage years. He impressed while representing teams in Austria and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a place on the IPP in 2021.
The following year, he had his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have periods on the fringes at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is yet to see game time on the field. Is being a foreigner still a hurdle?
“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” notes the player. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they ask: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a very inclusive culture, a great squad, a top organization.”
Although spending most of training with his fellow linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his teams. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently close-knit because we are a group and altogether one, but we have mates from all positions. My best friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a wide receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Packers, Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for two years at the Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve have to be supportive.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
Pircher is aware he symbolizes not only his home countries. “I would say every nation outside the US. The better every IPP graduate performs, the more young people who participate in Europe, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many kids hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s nice to encourage them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”
The program alumni are all invited to Florida each year to coach the next wave of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us return
