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Although the United States is a nation of newcomers, the NFL is still dominated by American-born players. Only 5% of players are foreign-born, and the majority of them step into the sport by attending college in the US. Genuine outsiders are unusual, and coaches from abroad are especially scarce, which makes James Cook’s story exceptional.

James Cook’s Surprising Path to the League

Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he was raised in England, is in his twenties, and never played pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his father and came across what he called a “weird and wonderful” game. He began participating locally and quickly wanted to become the first NFL QB born in Europe. He got as far as playing for Great Britain, but his dreams to attend university in the US were financially prohibitive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people wanted me, I would switch my schedule and assist. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear around London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”

This is where he met Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he set up the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Falcons, becoming the first UK full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting guys,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I went to Australia to train aspiring athletes from across the Pacific to get them into college football, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to NFL Coaching

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 assisting younger players, maximising time on the training ground, working closely with physios, the head coach and general manager. It’s a very hands-on position, which is perfect for me. My experience was working with international athletes who had never played the game. Rookie newcomers also have to establish structure and schedules: how to take care of their health and handle a huge playbook. But also just being available for guys. That’s the same across the board. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Englishman who did not compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an actual one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and loads of players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the same things and require help in the identical ways. If players understand you can help them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or how you speak. And when people realize that you care, all the other stuff fades.”

Benefits of Being Beyond the US System

Coming from outside the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen asked me about the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. Teammates are truly curious. NFL organizations are varied than many think. We have people from all sorts of backgrounds, a variety of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are different 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 ex- rugby league player from Australia who claimed the championship recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have made it to the very top.

International Players and Their Paths

International athletes have usually been specialists, brought in from other football codes. Bobby Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for becoming a kicker for the Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and did not educated in the American system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.

Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before finding the sport at Nottingham University, has made that step. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the Italian was clearly not built for his favoured sports, soccer and handball, so took up American football in his teenage years. He stood out while playing for teams in Austria and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was given a spot on the IPP in that year.

The following year, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have periods on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in each team but is hasn’t had game time on the gridiron. Is his status as a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a really inclusive environment, a excellent team, a top franchise.”

Despite spending most of practice with his other linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his teams. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently close-knit because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have friends from all positions. My close friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – played wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Future

Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just his home countries. “In my view all the countries beyond the US. The better each one of us performs, the more young people who play football in Italy, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many youngsters contacting me, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”

The program alumni are all invited to the US each year to train the next wave of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us come back