The Athletes and Coaches Born Outside in the USA
Although the US is a nation of immigrants, the NFL is still dominated by US-born athletes. Just five percent of participants are born abroad, and most of them enter the sport by going to college in the United States. True outsiders are unusual, and foreign coaches are particularly rare, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.
James Cook’s Unlikely Path to the League
Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Browns organization. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he grew up in England, is in his twenties, and did not played pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his dad and came across what he called a “weird and wonderful” sport. He began participating locally and soon wanted to become the first-ever NFL QB born in Europe. He progressed to playing for Team GB, but his dreams to go to university in the US proved financially prohibitive.
“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people needed me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up all over London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”
It was here that he encountered Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he set up the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first British permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting players,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to train aspiring athletes from around the Pacific to introduce them to the US college system, like what I wanted to do.”
Making the Leap 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 explains. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, maximising efficiency on the practice field, collaborating with physios, the head coach and GM. It’s a really active role, which is perfect for me. My experience was guiding players from abroad who had not played the sport. First-year rookies also have to establish structure and schedules: how to take care of their health and deal with a huge game plan. But also just being present for guys. That’s the identical everywhere. And I love that.”
Is being an Englishman who did not play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a perceived barrier than an actual one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style comments and loads of players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the similar things and require support in the same ways. If players know you can help them, they don’t care where you’re from or what accent. And when players know that you are invested, all the other stuff fades.”
Benefits of Being Beyond the NFL Bubble
Coming from beyond the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen asked me about rugby with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are truly intrigued. NFL organizations are varied than people think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a range of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”
The NFL has been more successful at producing foreign fans than nurturing foreign players. Mailata, a former rugby player from Australia who won the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the elite level.
International Players and Their Journeys
International athletes have typically been kickers, recruited from other football codes. Howfield swapped soccer for English clubs for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and were not trained in the American system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.
Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before discovering the sport at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He competed in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Maximilian Pircher’s experience is just as unlikely. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the Italian was obviously not suited for his favoured sports, football and handball, so took up American football in his late teens. He stood out while playing for teams in Europe and Europe, as well as the national side, and was given a spot on the IPP in 2021.
A year later, he had his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had spells on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in each team but is hasn’t had game time on the field. Is being a international player still a hurdle?
“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” says the player. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they ask: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a very welcoming culture, a excellent squad, a great franchise.”
Although spending most of training with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his clubs. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently close-knit because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have mates from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my best man, actually – was a wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for two years at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, special teams: we’ve have to be supportive.”
Motivating the Next Generation
Pircher is aware he represents not only Italy and Austria. “I would say every nation outside the United States. The more successful every IPP graduate does, the greater number of youth who play football in Europe, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in every day, I can succeed.’ I have a many youngsters contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to encourage them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”
The IPP graduates are welcomed to Florida annually to coach the new group of potential NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us return
