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Although the United States is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is still led by US-born athletes. Only five percent of participants are foreign-born, and the majority of them enter the game by attending university in the United States. Genuine outsiders are unusual, and coaches from abroad are especially scarce, which renders James Cook’s journey exceptional.

Cook’s Surprising Path to the NFL

Cook has been in control of player development at the Cleveland Browns. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he grew up in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “strange and amazing” game. He began participating in his area and soon wanted to become the first NFL QB born in Europe. He got as far as playing for Team GB, but his dreams to go to university in the US proved financially prohibitive.

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

It was here that he met Aden Durde, who had periods with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he established the IPP program in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Falcons, making history as the first British full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting guys,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to work with younger players from across the Pacific region to get them into the US college system, like what I had hoped to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to Durde before him, Cook made the jump from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “The Browns contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting rookies, maximising efficiency on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and GM. It’s a very hands-on role, which is ideal for me. My experience was guiding players from abroad who had not played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to establish habits and schedules: how to take care of their body and handle a massive game plan. But also just being present for guys. That’s the same everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Brit who never play in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a perceived barrier than an actual one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style comments and loads of players call me ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the same things and need help in the same ways. If players know you can assist them, they don’t care about your origin or what accent. And when players realize that you are invested, all the rest fades.”

Advantages of Being Beyond the NFL Bubble

Coming from beyond the American football world has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen asked me about the sport with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and build relationships. Teammates are genuinely curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than people think. We have staff from all sorts of backgrounds, a variety of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

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

International Athletes and Their Journeys

International athletes have usually been specialists, recruited from other football codes. Bobby Howfield exchanged playing up front for Watford and Fulham for becoming a placekicker for the Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a kicker and did not trained in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before discovering American football at university, has achieved that. He competed in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At over two meters and 23 stone, the from Italy was obviously not built for his favoured sports, football and the sport, so started the NFL in his late teens. He stood out while representing teams in Europe and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was given a spot on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he had his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had spells on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is yet to see action on the field. Is his status as a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the player. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they ask: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a really inclusive environment, a excellent team, a top organization.”

Although spending the majority of training with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is always close-knit because we are a group and altogether one, but we have mates from every position group. My close friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a wide receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for two years at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, specialists: we’ve have to be supportive.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is conscious he represents not only his home countries. “In my view all the countries beyond the US. The more successful each one of us performs, the more young people who play football in Europe, in Europe, anywhere, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself every day, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to inspire them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”

The program alumni are all invited to the US annually to coach the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Almost all of us come back