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Although the United States is a country of immigrants, the NFL is still led by American-born players. Just 5% of players are born abroad, and the majority of them step into the sport by going to university in the United States. Genuine outsiders are unusual, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which renders James Cook’s story exceptional.

James Cook’s Surprising Journey to the NFL

For the past six months, Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Browns organization. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he grew up in Surrey, is in his twenties, and never played pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his father and stumbled upon what he described as a “weird and wonderful” sport. He started playing in his area and quickly aspired to become the first-ever NFL quarterback from Europe. He got as far as representing Team GB, but his dreams to attend university in the US proved too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys wanted me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear around London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”

It was here that he encountered Durde, who had periods with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the IPP program in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first UK full-time coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable players,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to train younger players from around the Pacific region to introduce them to the US college system, like what I had hoped to do.”

Transitioning to NFL Coaching

Like his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from training international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns contacted me unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, optimizing efficiency on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the coach and GM. It’s a really active position, which is ideal for me. My background was working with players from abroad who had not played the game. Rookie rookies also have to establish structure and schedules: how to take care of their body and handle a huge game plan. But also just being available for guys. That’s the identical across the board. And I love that.”

Does being an Englishman who did not play in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a perceived hurdle than an actual one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and loads of players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the similar things and need support in the same ways. If players understand you can help them, they don’t care about your origin or how you speak. And when players realize that you care, all the rest 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 left, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and build relationships. People are truly curious. NFL buildings are more diverse than people think. We have staff from all sorts of backgrounds, a range of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been better at producing foreign fans than developing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have risen to the elite level.

Foreign Athletes and Their Journeys

International athletes have typically been specialists, brought in from other football codes. Howfield swapped soccer for English clubs for being a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby in England to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and did not educated in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.

Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding the sport at university, has achieved that. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not built for his favoured sports, football and handball, so started American football in his late teens. He impressed while playing for clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was given a place on the IPP in that year.

The following year, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a part of the Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had spells on the fringes at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is hasn’t had action on the gridiron. Is being a foreigner still a challenge?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” says the player. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a very welcoming culture, a excellent team, a top franchise.”

Despite devoting the majority of practice with his fellow linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is always close-knit because we are a group and altogether one, but we have mates from all positions. My close friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a wide receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Packers, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is aware he symbolizes not only his home countries. “I would say every nation beyond the US. The more successful each one of us does, the more youth who play football in Italy, in Europe, wherever, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many youngsters hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s nice to encourage them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are all invited to Florida each year to train the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Almost all of us return