These Players and Trainers Not Born in the United States
Although the United States is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is largely dominated by US-born athletes. Only 5% of participants are foreign-born, and most of them enter the game by attending university in the United States. True international figures are rare, and foreign coaches are particularly rare, which makes James Cook’s journey remarkable.
Cook’s Surprising Path 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 incredible considering he grew up in England, is in his late 20s, and did not played professional sport. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he called a “weird and wonderful” sport. He began participating locally and quickly aspired to become the first-ever NFL QB from Europe. He got as far as playing for Great Britain, but his plans to go to college in the US proved too expensive.
“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people wanted me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear all over London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”
This is where he met Durde, who had periods with the Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the IPP program in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Falcons, making history as the first-ever British permanent coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting guys,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to train younger players from across the Pacific region to get them into college football, similar to what I wanted to do.”
Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL
Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from working with foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns called unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a hybrid role supporting younger players, maximising time on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the coach and general manager. It’s a really active role, which is ideal for me. My background was guiding players from abroad who had never played the game. Rookie rookies also have to build structure and schedules: learning to look after their body and deal with a massive playbook. But also just being present for guys. That’s the same everywhere. And I love that.”
Does being an Brit who did not compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an real one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style jokes and many players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the same things and need help in the identical ways. If players know you can help them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or how you speak. And when players know that you care, all the other stuff fades.”
Benefits of Coming From Outside the US System
Originating from beyond the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are varied than many think. We have people from all sorts of origins, a range of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”
The NFL has been better at attracting international supporters than developing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Australia who claimed the championship earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have risen to the very top.
Foreign Athletes and Their Journeys
International athletes have typically been kickers, recruited from different sports. Bobby Howfield swapped soccer for Watford and Fulham for being a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and did not trained in the American system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.
Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s academy before discovering the sport at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He played in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.
Pircher’s experience is equally improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the from Italy was obviously not built for his favoured sports, soccer and handball, so took up American football in his late teens. He stood out while playing for clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a place on the IPP in 2021.
A year later, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have periods on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in each team but is yet to see action on the field. Is his status as a foreigner still a challenge?
“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the player. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they ask: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a really inclusive culture, a excellent team, a top franchise.”
Despite spending the majority of practice with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his teams. “Obviously the O-line is always very tight because we are a unit and united, but we have mates from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for two years at the LA Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”
Motivating the Next Generation
Pircher is conscious he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say every nation beyond the US. The better every IPP graduate performs, the more youth who participate in Italy, in Europe, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in every day, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of youngsters hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s nice to encourage them to experience what I’ve experienced.”
The IPP graduates are welcomed to Florida each year to train the next wave of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us return
