🔗 Share this article

While the United States is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is largely dominated by American-born athletes. Only 5% of participants are born abroad, and most of them step into the game by attending college in the US. Genuine international figures are unusual, and foreign coaches are particularly rare, which renders James Cook’s journey remarkable.

Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the NFL

Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he grew up in England, is in his late 20s, and did not played pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his father and came across what he described as a “weird and wonderful” game. He began participating locally and quickly aspired to become the first-ever NFL QB born in Europe. He progressed to representing Great Britain, but his dreams to go to university in the US were too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people needed me, I would switch my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could throw. So when they trained with players, I’d show up all over London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

This is where he encountered Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he established the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first British full-time coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable guys,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to train younger players from around the Pacific to get them into college football, similar to what I had hoped to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Like Durde before him, Cook transitioned from working with foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland called unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role supporting younger players, maximising efficiency on the training ground, collaborating with physios, the coach and GM. It’s a really hands-on role, which is perfect for me. My background was guiding players from abroad who had not played the game. Rookie newcomers also have to build structure and routines: learning to take care of their body and handle a huge game plan. But also just being present for guys. That’s the identical across the board. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Brit who did not compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a perceived hurdle than an real one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style jokes and loads of players call me ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the similar things and need support in the same ways. If players know you can help them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or how you speak. And when players realize that you are invested, all the rest melts away.”

Benefits of Being Outside the NFL Bubble

Originating from beyond the American football world has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen asked me about rugby with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and build relationships. People are truly intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than many think. We have people from various backgrounds, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been better at attracting international supporters than nurturing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Australia who won the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have made it to the very top.

Foreign Athletes and Their Journeys

Foreign players have typically been kickers, recruited from different sports. Bobby Howfield swapped soccer for English clubs for becoming a placekicker 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 special teams player and did not trained in the American system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s academy before discovering American football at university, has achieved that. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is just as improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the from Italy was obviously not built for his preferred games, football and handball, so took up the NFL in his late teens. He impressed while representing teams in Austria and Europe, as well as the national side, and was offered a spot on the IPP in that year.

A year later, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have spells on the fringes at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in each team but is hasn’t had game time on the field. Is being a international player still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they ask: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a very welcoming environment, a great squad, a great franchise.”

Although devoting the majority of practice with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his clubs. “Naturally the offensive line is always close-knit because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have friends from every position group. My best friend, Landen Akers – my best man, in fact – was a wide receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for a while at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, special teams: we’ve have to be supportive.”

Motivating the Next Generation

Pircher is conscious he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say all the countries beyond the US. The more successful every IPP graduate does, the greater number of young people who participate in Italy, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself every day, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of kids hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to experience what I’ve experienced.”

The program alumni are all invited to the US annually to train the next wave of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us return