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Although the US is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is largely dominated by US-born athletes. Just 5% of players are foreign-born, and most of them step into the game by going to university in the United States. True international figures are rare, and foreign coaches are particularly scarce, which makes James Cook’s story remarkable.

James Cook’s Unlikely Path to the League

Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible considering he was raised in England, is in his twenties, and never participated in pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his father and came across what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He began participating locally and soon aspired to become the first NFL QB from Europe. He progressed to playing for Team GB, but his dreams to attend college in the US proved financially prohibitive.

“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people wanted me, I would switch my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the one thing 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 usually get me lunch.”

It was here that he encountered Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he established the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Falcons, becoming the first-ever British permanent coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting guys,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to work with younger players from around the Pacific to introduce them to college football, like what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Like his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from training foreign players to joining the NFL. “The Browns called out of the blue,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting rookies, optimizing time on the practice field, 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 never played the sport. Rookie newcomers also have to build habits and routines: how to look after their body and deal with a huge playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the same everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Brit who did not play in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a perceived hurdle than an actual one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and loads of players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they love that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the same things and require help in the identical ways. If players know you can assist them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or what accent. And when players realize that you are invested, all the other stuff melts away.”

Advantages of Coming From Outside the NFL Bubble

Coming from outside the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I addressed in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and build relationships. People are truly curious. NFL buildings 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 be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at attracting international supporters than developing foreign players. Mailata, a former rugby league player from Australia who won the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have risen to the elite level.

International Players and Their Paths

International athletes have typically been kickers, recruited from other football codes. Howfield exchanged soccer for English clubs for becoming a kicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a special teams player and did not trained in the American system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s academy before discovering the sport at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He competed in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is just as improbable. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his favoured sports, soccer and handball, so started the NFL in his teenage years. He stood out while playing for teams in Europe and Germany, as well as the national side, and was offered a spot on the IPP in that year.

The following year, he held the championship trophy as a part of the LA Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had periods on the fringes at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in every locker room but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is being a international player still a challenge?

“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a really inclusive culture, a great team, a great franchise.”

Despite devoting most of practice with his fellow linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his clubs. “Obviously the O-line is consistently close-knit because we are a group and altogether one, but we have mates from every position group. My close friend, Landen Akers – my best man, in fact – was a receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for a while at the Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve have to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Next Generation

Pircher is conscious he symbolizes not only his home countries. “I would say all the countries outside the US. The more successful each one of us performs, the greater number of young people who play football in Italy, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of kids contacting me, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to experience what I’ve experienced.”

The IPP graduates are welcomed to the US annually to train the next wave of potential NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us come back