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Although the United States is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is still led by American-born players. Only five percent of players are foreign-born, and the majority of them enter the sport by attending college in the US. Genuine international figures are unusual, and foreign coaches are particularly scarce, which renders James Cook’s story remarkable.

Cook’s Unlikely Path to the League

Cook has been in charge of player development at the Cleveland Browns. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible given he was raised in England, is in his twenties, and did not participated in professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “weird and wonderful” sport. He began participating locally and quickly aspired to become the first NFL QB born in Europe. He progressed to representing Great Britain, but his dreams to attend college in the US proved too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys wanted me, I would switch my shifts and assist. As a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear all over London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often buy me lunch.”

This is where he met Aden Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he established the International Player Pathway program in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Atlanta 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 remarkable guys,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Australia to work with aspiring athletes from across the Pacific region to get them into the US college system, like what I had hoped to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Like his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland called out of the blue,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, optimizing time on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and GM. It’s a really hands-on position, which is ideal for me. My background was guiding international athletes who had never played the sport. First-year newcomers also have to build structure and schedules: how to look after their health and handle a huge playbook. But also just being available for guys. 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 largely a perceived barrier than an actual one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style jokes and loads of players call me ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘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 what accent. And when players realize that you care, all the rest melts away.”

Advantages of Being Beyond the US System

Coming from outside the American football world has its advantages. “I addressed in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we left, one of our linemen asked me about the sport with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are genuinely curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than many think. We have staff from various origins, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing international supporters than developing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Sydney who won the Super Bowl recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have risen to the very top.

International Players and Their Paths

International athletes have typically been specialists, brought in from different sports. Bobby Howfield exchanged soccer for English clubs for becoming a kicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not trained in the US college system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s academy before discovering American football at university, has made that step. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is just as unlikely. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the Italian was clearly not built for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so took up American football in his late teens. He impressed while playing for teams in Europe and Europe, as well as the national side, and was offered a spot on the IPP in 2021.

A year later, he held the championship trophy as a part of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had periods on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is yet to see action on the field. Is his status as a international player still a challenge?

“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 speak differently – where are you from?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a really inclusive environment, a great squad, a great franchise.”

Despite devoting the majority of practice with his fellow linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his clubs. “Obviously the offensive line is consistently close-knit because we are a unit and united, but we have friends from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, actually – played receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for a while at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve have to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is aware he symbolizes not only his home countries. “In my view every nation beyond the US. The more successful every IPP graduate does, the more young people who participate in Europe, in Europe, anywhere, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself every day, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids contacting me, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are welcomed to the US each year to coach the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Almost all of us return