These Players and Coaches Not Born in the United States
While the United States is a nation of newcomers, the NFL is largely dominated by American-born athletes. Only five percent of participants are born abroad, and the majority of them step into the sport by attending university in the US. True international figures are unusual, and coaches from abroad are particularly rare, which makes James Cook’s story exceptional.
James Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League
For the past six months, Cook has been in charge of player development at the Cleveland Browns. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible given he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and never played professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing locally and quickly wanted to become the first NFL QB born in Europe. He progressed to playing for Great Britain, but his dreams to go to university in the US were financially prohibitive.
“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys wanted me, I would adjust my schedule and help out. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d show up around London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”
It was here that he met Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he set up the IPP program in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first UK full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable players,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Australia to work with younger players from around the Pacific to introduce them to the US college system, similar to what I wanted to do.”
Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL
Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from working with international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns contacted me unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, maximising efficiency on the practice field, collaborating with medical staff, the head coach and GM. It’s a really hands-on position, which is ideal for me. My background was working with international athletes who had not played the game. First-year rookies also have to build habits and schedules: learning to take care of their body and handle a massive game plan. But also just being present for players. That’s the same across the board. And I enjoy that.”
Does being an Englishman who did not compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a perceived barrier than an real one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and loads of players call me ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the similar things and require help in the identical ways. If players understand you can assist them, they don’t care where you’re from or what accent. And when players realize that you care, all the rest melts away.”
Advantages of Being Outside the US System
Originating from beyond the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I addressed in front of the entire team very early on, 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 build relationships. People are truly intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than people think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”
The NFL has been more successful at producing foreign fans than developing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Sydney who claimed the Super Bowl recently with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have made it to the elite level.
Foreign Players and Their Journeys
International athletes have usually been specialists, brought in from other football codes. Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for being a kicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a kicker and were not trained in the US college system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.
Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s youth team before discovering the sport at university, has achieved that. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Maximilian Pircher’s experience is just as unlikely. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his preferred games, football and handball, so took up the NFL in his teenage years. He stood out while representing teams in Austria and Germany, as well as the national side, and was given 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 spells on the periphery at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in each team but is yet to see game time on the field. Is being a international player still a hurdle?
“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a really welcoming environment, a great team, a top organization.”
Despite spending most of training with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his teams. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a group and united, but we have mates from every position group. My close friend, Landen Akers – my best man, in fact – played wide receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for two years at the Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve have to be there for each other.”
Motivating the Next Generation
Pircher is conscious he symbolizes not only his home countries. “In my view all the countries outside the US. The more successful every IPP graduate does, the more young people who play football in Europe, in Europe, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to encourage them to experience what I’ve experienced.”
The IPP graduates are all invited to Florida each year to coach the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Almost all of us return
