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While the United States is a nation of immigrants, the NFL is largely led by US-born players. Just 5% of participants are born abroad, and most of them enter the game by attending university in the United States. True international figures are rare, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which renders James Cook’s story exceptional.

Cook’s Surprising Path to the League

For the past six months, Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he was raised in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his father and came across what he called a “weird and wonderful” game. He began participating in his area and quickly wanted to become the first-ever NFL quarterback born in Europe. He progressed to representing Team GB, but his plans to attend university in the US were too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning 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 one thing I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d show up all over London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”

It was here that he encountered Aden Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the International Player Pathway programme in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first UK full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting players,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Australia to work with aspiring athletes from across the Pacific to introduce them to the US college system, like what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Like his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from working with international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland called out of the blue,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, maximising efficiency on the practice field, collaborating with medical staff, the coach and general manager. It’s a very active position, 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 routines: how to take care of their body and deal with a massive playbook. But also just being available for guys. That’s the same everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Englishman who did not play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a perceived hurdle than an real one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and many players call me ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the similar things and need support in the same ways. If players know you can help them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or how you speak. And when people realize that you care, all the rest melts away.”

Advantages of Being Beyond the NFL Bubble

Coming from beyond the American football world has its advantages. “I addressed in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and build relationships. Teammates are genuinely intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than people think. We have staff from various origins, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been more successful at attracting international supporters than nurturing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who won the Super Bowl recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the elite level.

International Players and Their Paths

Foreign players have usually been specialists, brought in from different sports. Howfield exchanged playing up front for English clubs for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in England to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and were not trained in the US college system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding American football at university, has achieved that. He competed in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the from Italy was obviously not suited for his preferred games, soccer and the sport, so took up the NFL in his late teens. He stood out while playing for teams in Austria and Europe, 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 Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have periods on the periphery at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in every locker room but is hasn’t had game time on the field. Is his status as a foreigner still a challenge?

“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. Initially, they ask: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a really inclusive culture, a great team, a great franchise.”

Despite spending most of practice with his other linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in 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 all positions. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – played receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Packers, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve have to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Future

Pircher is aware he represents not only his home countries. “In my view all the countries beyond the US. The more successful every IPP graduate performs, the more youth who play football 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 lot of youngsters contacting me, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The IPP graduates are all invited to the US each year to train the new group of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us come back