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Although the US is a nation of immigrants, the National Football League is largely dominated by American-born athletes. Only five percent of players are born abroad, and the majority of them enter the game by attending college in the US. True international figures are unusual, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey remarkable.

Cook’s Surprising Journey to the NFL

Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible given he grew up in Surrey, is in his twenties, and never participated in pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his father and came across what he called a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing locally and quickly wanted to become the first NFL QB born in Europe. He got as far as representing Team GB, but his plans to attend college in the US proved financially prohibitive.

“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people needed me, I would switch my schedule and assist. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear all over London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

It was here that he met Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the International Player Pathway program in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Falcons, making history as 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 recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Australia to work with aspiring athletes from around the Pacific region to introduce them to the US college system, similar to what I had hoped to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to Durde before him, Cook transitioned from working with international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting younger players, maximising efficiency on the practice field, collaborating with physios, the coach and general manager. It’s a really active role, which is ideal for me. My experience was guiding international athletes who had never played the game. First-year rookies also have to establish structure and routines: how to look after their health and deal with a massive game plan. 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 largely a perceived hurdle than an real one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and loads of players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the similar things and need support 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 realize that you care, all the other stuff melts away.”

Benefits of Being Beyond the US System

Originating from outside the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the entire team soon after joining, 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 truly curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than people think. We have staff from various origins, a variety of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been better at attracting international supporters than developing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the Super Bowl recently with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have made it to the elite level.

International Athletes and Their Journeys

Foreign players have typically been kickers, brought in from different sports. Bobby Howfield swapped soccer for English clubs for being a kicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in England to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not trained in the US college system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.

Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before finding the sport at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He played in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the Italian was clearly not suited for his favoured sports, soccer and handball, so took up the NFL in his late teens. He impressed while representing teams in Europe and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a spot on the IPP in that year.

A year later, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have periods on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. 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 a barrier,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a really inclusive culture, a excellent squad, a top franchise.”

Despite devoting most of practice with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his clubs. “Obviously the O-line is consistently close-knit because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have mates from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my best man, in fact – was a receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve have to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is conscious he represents more than just his home countries. “I would say every nation beyond the United States. The better every IPP graduate does, the greater number of youth who play football in Europe, in Germany, wherever, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in every day, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, seeking tips. It’s nice to inspire 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. “Virtually everyone of us return