🔗 Share this article

Although the US is a country of newcomers, the National Football League is still led by US-born athletes. Just 5% of players are born abroad, and most of them enter the game by attending university in the United States. True international figures are unusual, and coaches from abroad are especially rare, which renders James Cook’s story exceptional.

James Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the NFL

For the past six months, Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible considering he was raised in England, is in his late 20s, and never played professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his father and came across what he called a “weird and wonderful” game. He started playing in his area and soon aspired to become the first-ever NFL QB born in Europe. He got as far as playing for Team GB, but his dreams to attend college in the US were too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people wanted me, I would switch my schedule and assist. As a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up around London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”

It was here that he met Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Falcons, making history as the first UK permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable guys,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I went to Australia to train aspiring athletes from across the Pacific region to introduce them to 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 foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns called unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting rookies, optimizing efficiency on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and GM. It’s a really active position, which is perfect for me. My experience was guiding international athletes who had never played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to establish structure and routines: how to take care of their body and handle a massive game plan. But also just being available for guys. That’s the identical everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Brit who did not compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a imagined barrier than an real one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and many players call me ‘bruv’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the similar things and need support in the identical ways. If players understand you can assist them, they don’t care where you’re from or how you speak. And when people know that you are invested, all the other stuff fades.”

Advantages 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 walked out, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and build relationships. Teammates are truly intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than many think. We have staff from all sorts of backgrounds, a range 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 better at producing foreign fans than nurturing global talent. Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Australia who won the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the elite level.

Foreign Players and Their Journeys

International athletes have usually been specialists, brought in from different sports. Howfield swapped soccer for Watford and Fulham for becoming a kicker for the Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in England to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and did not educated in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.

Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding the sport at university, has made that step. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the from Italy was obviously not built for his preferred games, soccer and handball, so took up American football in his teenage years. He stood out while playing for clubs in Austria and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a spot on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have periods on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Washington 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 challenge?

“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” notes the player. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they ask: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a very welcoming environment, a great squad, a great franchise.”

Although spending most of training with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his clubs. “Obviously the O-line is always close-knit because we are a group and altogether one, but we have friends from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for two years at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is conscious he represents not only his home countries. “In my view all the countries outside the US. The better each one of us does, the greater number of young people who play football in Italy, in Europe, wherever, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many youngsters contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are welcomed to the US annually to coach the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Almost all of us come back