These Athletes and Coaches Not Born in the United States
While the United States is a nation of immigrants, the NFL is still dominated by American-born players. Just five percent of participants are foreign-born, and most of them step into the game by going to university in the US. True international figures are unusual, and coaches from abroad are particularly scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.
James Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the NFL
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 extraordinary considering he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and did not played pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his father and came across what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing locally and quickly aspired to become the first NFL QB from Europe. He progressed to representing Great Britain, but his dreams to attend college in the US were financially prohibitive.
“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people needed me, I would adjust my schedule and help out. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they worked out 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 encountered Aden Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he established the International Player Pathway program in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first British full-time coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable guys,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Australia to work with aspiring athletes from around the Pacific region to get them into college football, like what I wanted to do.”
Making the Leap to NFL Coaching
Like Durde before him, Cook transitioned from working with international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, optimizing efficiency on the practice field, collaborating with medical staff, the coach and general manager. It’s a really active role, which is perfect for me. My experience was working with players from abroad who had not played the sport. First-year newcomers also have to build structure and schedules: how to look after their health and handle a huge playbook. But also just being available for guys. That’s the identical across the board. And I enjoy that.”
Is being an Brit who never play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a imagined hurdle than an real one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style comments and loads of players call me ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and require help in the same ways. If players understand you can help them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or what accent. And when players realize that you are invested, all the rest fades.”
Benefits of Being Beyond the US System
Originating from beyond the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen asked me about rugby with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and form friendships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL buildings are varied than people think. We have staff from various origins, a range of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”
The NFL has been better at attracting foreign fans than nurturing foreign players. Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Australia who claimed the championship earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have risen to the very top.
Foreign Athletes and Their Journeys
International athletes have usually been specialists, brought in from different sports. Bobby Howfield exchanged playing up front for English clubs for becoming a placekicker for the Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in England to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and did not trained in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.
Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding the sport at university, has made that step. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not built for his preferred games, football and handball, so started the NFL in his late teens. He stood out while representing clubs in Europe and Europe, as well as the national side, and was given a spot on the IPP in 2021.
The following year, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had periods on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in every locker room but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is being a foreigner still a hurdle?
“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the player. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they ask: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a very welcoming environment, a excellent squad, a great franchise.”
Although devoting the majority of training with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his clubs. “Obviously the O-line is consistently close-knit because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have mates from all positions. My close friend, Akers – my best man, actually – 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 got to be supportive.”
Motivating the Future
Pircher is aware he represents not only his home countries. “In my view every nation beyond the US. The more successful every IPP graduate performs, the more youth who play football in Italy, in Germany, anywhere, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – 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 inspire 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
