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Although the US is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is still dominated by American-born athletes. Just 5% of players are born abroad, and the majority of them step into the game by going to college in the US. Genuine outsiders are unusual, and coaches from abroad are particularly rare, which renders James Cook’s journey remarkable.

Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL

For the past six months, Cook has been in control of player development at the Browns organization. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he was raised in Surrey, 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 came across what he described as a “strange and amazing” game. He started playing locally and quickly aspired to become the first-ever NFL quarterback from Europe. He got as far as representing Team GB, but his plans to go to university in the US were financially prohibitive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys needed me, I would adjust my shifts and help out. As a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. 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 Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he established the International Player Pathway programme in 2017 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 took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting guys,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Australia to work with younger players from around the Pacific to get them into college football, like what I had hoped to do.”

Making the Leap to NFL Coaching

Similar to Durde before him, Cook made the jump from working with foreign players to joining the NFL. “Cleveland called out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, maximising time on the practice field, collaborating with medical staff, the coach and general manager. It’s a really active position, which is ideal for me. My background was working with international athletes who had not played the game. Rookie rookies also have to establish habits and routines: learning to look after their body and deal with a massive game plan. But also just being available for players. That’s the identical everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Brit who did not compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an real one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and many players call me ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the same things and need support in the same ways. If players know you can assist them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or what accent. And when players realize that you care, all the rest fades.”

Advantages of Coming From Beyond the NFL Bubble

Originating from outside the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I addressed in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we left, one of our linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are truly curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than people think. We have people from various origins, a variety of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so lean into it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing foreign fans than nurturing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby player from Sydney who won the championship recently with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have risen to the elite level.

Foreign Athletes and Their Journeys

Foreign players have usually been kickers, recruited from different sports. Howfield swapped playing up front for English clubs for being a placekicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and did not trained in the US college system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.

Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s youth team before discovering American football at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He played in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s experience is equally improbable. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was obviously not built for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so started American football in his late teens. He impressed while playing for teams in Europe and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a spot on the IPP in 2021.

A year later, he held the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had periods on the periphery at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in each team but is hasn’t had action on the field. Is being a international player still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” notes the player. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a really welcoming environment, a excellent squad, a great organization.”

Despite spending most of training with his fellow linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is always close-knit because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have friends from all positions. My best friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, actually – was a receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Packers, Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for two years at the Rams. QBs, defenders, specialists: we’ve have to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Future

Pircher is conscious he symbolizes more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say every nation outside the US. The more successful each one of us performs, the greater number of young people who participate in Italy, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many youngsters contacting me, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”

The IPP graduates are all invited to the US annually to coach the new group of aspiring NFL internationals. “Almost all of us come back