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Although the United States is a nation of immigrants, the National Football League is still led by US-born athletes. Just 5% of participants are foreign-born, and the majority of them step into the game by attending college in the United States. Genuine international figures are unusual, and coaches from abroad are particularly scarce, which makes James Cook’s story exceptional.

Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the NFL

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 grew up in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and did not played pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his father and stumbled upon what he called a “weird and wonderful” game. He began participating locally and soon aspired to become the first-ever NFL quarterback born in Europe. He progressed to representing Team GB, but his plans to attend college in the US proved too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people wanted me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear around London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”

It was here that he encountered Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he set up the IPP program in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first British permanent coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable guys,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to train younger players from around the Pacific region to introduce them to college football, similar to what I had hoped to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from training foreign players to joining the NFL. “The Browns contacted me unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting younger players, optimizing efficiency on the practice field, collaborating with physios, the head coach and general manager. It’s a very hands-on role, which is perfect for me. My background was guiding players from abroad who had not played the game. Rookie rookies also have to establish habits and schedules: learning to take care of their health and deal with a massive playbook. But also just being present for guys. That’s the same everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Englishman who never play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a perceived hurdle than an actual one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and loads of players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the similar things and require help in the same 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 rest melts away.”

Benefits of Being Beyond the US System

Originating from outside the American football world has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen asked me about rugby with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and form friendships. People are genuinely curious. NFL organizations are varied than many think. We have people from various backgrounds, a variety of experiences. Our saying 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 foreign players. Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Sydney who won the championship earlier this year with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have risen to the elite level.

International Players and Their Paths

International athletes have usually been specialists, recruited from different sports. Bobby Howfield swapped playing up front for English clubs for becoming a kicker for the Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in England to the Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a special teams player and were not educated 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 youth team before finding the sport at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s story is just as improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the from Italy was obviously not suited for his favoured sports, soccer and handball, so took up the NFL in his teenage years. He stood out while representing clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a place on the IPP in that year.

The following year, he had his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had periods on the fringes at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in each team but is hasn’t had action on the gridiron. Is being a foreigner still a challenge?

“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” says the player. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a really welcoming environment, a great team, a top organization.”

Although spending most of training with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his clubs. “Obviously the offensive line is always very tight because we are a unit and united, but we have mates from all positions. My close friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – played wide receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Packers, Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for a while at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve have to be supportive.”

Motivating the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just his home countries. “In my view every nation beyond the US. The more successful every IPP graduate does, the greater number of young people who play football in Europe, in Europe, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself every day, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many kids contacting me, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are all invited to Florida each year to coach the new group of potential NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us return