The Players and Coaches Not Born in the United States
Although the United States is a country of newcomers, the NFL is largely led by American-born players. Only 5% of participants are foreign-born, and most of them enter the game by going to university in the United States. Genuine international figures are rare, and foreign coaches are particularly scarce, which renders James Cook’s journey remarkable.
James Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the NFL
Cook has been in charge of player development at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he was raised in England, is in his late 20s, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his father and stumbled upon what he called a “weird and wonderful” sport. He started playing locally and soon 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 proved financially prohibitive.
“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people needed me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they trained with players, I’d show up around London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”
It was here that he encountered Durde, who had periods with the Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the IPP program in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first British full-time coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting players,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Australia to train younger players from across the Pacific region to get them into the US college system, similar to what I wanted to do.”
Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL
Like his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from working with international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting younger players, maximising efficiency on the training ground, working closely with medical staff, the coach and GM. It’s a really active role, which is ideal for me. My experience was guiding international athletes who had not played the sport. Rookie newcomers also have to build structure and routines: learning to take care of their health and handle a massive game plan. But also just being available for guys. That’s the same everywhere. And I love that.”
Does being an Brit who never play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a imagined hurdle than an actual one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and loads of players call me ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the similar things and need help in the same ways. If players understand you can assist them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or how you speak. And when players know that you care, all the other stuff fades.”
Advantages of Coming From Beyond the NFL Bubble
Coming from outside the American football world has its advantages. “I addressed 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 enjoys it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are truly intrigued. NFL buildings are varied than many think. We have people from various backgrounds, a range of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”
The NFL has been better at attracting international supporters than nurturing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the championship earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have risen to the very top.
International Players and Their Journeys
Foreign players have typically been specialists, recruited from other football codes. Howfield exchanged playing up front for Watford and Fulham for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and did not trained in the American 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 finding American football at university, has made that step. He played in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pircher’s story is just as unlikely. At over two meters and 23 stone, the Italian was clearly not suited for his preferred games, soccer and the sport, so started American football in his teenage years. He stood out while representing clubs in Austria and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a place on the IPP in 2021.
The following year, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a part of the Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have periods on the periphery at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in each team but is yet to see action on the field. Is being a foreigner still a hurdle?
“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they ask: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a very welcoming environment, a great squad, a great franchise.”
Despite spending most of training with his fellow 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 group and united, but we have mates from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my best man, in fact – played receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for two years at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve got to be supportive.”
Motivating the Next Generation
Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just his home countries. “I would say every nation beyond the United States. The better every IPP graduate performs, the more youth who play football in Italy, in Germany, anywhere, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”
The program alumni are all invited to the US each year to train the new group of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us return
