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While the United States is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is largely dominated by American-born athletes. Only 5% of participants are foreign-born, and most of them step into the game by going to university in the US. Genuine international figures are rare, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.

James Cook’s Surprising Path to the NFL

For the past six months, Cook has been in control of player development at the Cleveland Browns. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he grew up in England, is in his twenties, and did not played pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his dad and came across what he called a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing locally and soon aspired to become the first NFL QB from Europe. He progressed to playing for Great Britain, but his dreams to attend college in the US were financially prohibitive.

“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people wanted me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d appear all over London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”

It was here that he encountered Aden Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the IPP program in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Falcons, making history as the first-ever British full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting players,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from around the Pacific to introduce them to college football, similar to what I had hoped to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from training foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns called unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting younger players, optimizing efficiency on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the coach and general manager. It’s a very hands-on position, which is ideal for me. My experience was guiding players from abroad who had never played the sport. First-year rookies also have to establish habits and routines: learning to take care of their health and handle a massive game plan. But also just being present for players. That’s the identical everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Englishman who never play in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a imagined hurdle than an actual one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style jokes and loads of players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the similar things and need help in the identical ways. If players understand you can help them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or how you speak. And when people realize that you are invested, all the rest melts away.”

Advantages of Being Beyond the NFL Bubble

Originating from outside the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen asked me about the sport with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and form friendships. People are truly intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than people think. We have people from all sorts of backgrounds, a variety of upbringings. 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 producing international supporters than developing global talent. Mailata, a former rugby player from Australia who claimed the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have made it to the very top.

International Athletes and Their Paths

Foreign players have usually been specialists, brought in from other football codes. Bobby Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for being a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons roster. 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 Londoner who played for Chelsea’s academy before finding the sport at Nottingham University, has made that step. He played in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is just as unlikely. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the Italian was obviously not suited for his preferred games, football and handball, so took up American football in his teenage years. He stood out while playing for clubs in Austria and Europe, as well as the national side, and was offered a place on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had periods on the fringes at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is being a international player still a hurdle?

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

Despite devoting the majority of practice with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is consistently close-knit because we are a group and united, but we have mates from all positions. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, actually – played receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve have to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Future

Pircher is aware he symbolizes not only his home countries. “I would say every nation beyond the United States. The more successful every IPP graduate performs, the more youth who play football in Italy, in Europe, anywhere, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, seeking tips. It’s nice to encourage them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”

The IPP graduates are all invited to Florida annually to train the next wave of potential NFL internationals. “Almost all of us return