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While the US is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is still led by US-born players. Only 5% of players are born abroad, and most of them step into the game by going to university in the United States. True outsiders are rare, and foreign coaches are especially rare, which renders James Cook’s journey exceptional.

James Cook’s Unlikely Path to the League

For the past six months, Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Browns organization. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he was raised in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his father and came across what he called a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing in his area and soon wanted to become the first NFL quarterback from Europe. He got as far as playing for Great Britain, but his dreams to go to university in the US proved financially prohibitive.

“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people wanted me, I would switch my shifts and help out. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear around London and throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

This is where he encountered Aden Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the International Player Pathway program in 2017 with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first UK permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting players,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to train aspiring athletes from across the Pacific region to introduce them to the US college system, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to Durde before him, Cook transitioned from working with foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting younger players, maximising efficiency on the practice field, collaborating with physios, the coach and general manager. It’s a really active position, which is perfect for me. My experience was guiding international athletes who had not played the game. Rookie rookies also have to establish structure and schedules: how to look after their body and deal with a massive game plan. But also just being present for players. That’s the same across the board. And I love that.”

Is being an Englishman who never compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a perceived hurdle than an real one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and many players call me ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and need help in the identical ways. If players know you can assist them, they don’t care about your origin or what accent. And when players realize that you are invested, all the other stuff fades.”

Advantages of Coming From Outside the NFL Bubble

Originating from beyond the American football world has its upsides. “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 genuinely intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than many think. We have people from various origins, a range of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been better at producing foreign fans than nurturing global talent. Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Sydney who claimed the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have made it to the very top.

Foreign Players and Their Journeys

Foreign players have typically been specialists, brought in from different sports. Bobby Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for being a placekicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in England to the Falcons team. If you do not want to be a special teams player and did not trained in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before discovering American football at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He played in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is equally improbable. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not built for his favoured sports, football and handball, so took up American football in his teenage years. He impressed while playing for clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the national side, and was given a place on the IPP in that year.

The following year, he had his hands on 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 late summer. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is yet to see game time on the field. Is being a international player still a hurdle?

“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they ask: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a very welcoming culture, a great team, a great organization.”

Despite devoting most of practice with his other linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his clubs. “Naturally the O-line is always close-knit because we are a unit and united, but we have mates from every position group. My close friend, Landen Akers – my best man, actually – was a wide receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Packers, Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for a while at the LA Rams. QBs, defenders, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he represents more than just his home countries. “I would say all the countries outside the United States. The more successful each one of us does, the more young people who play football in Italy, in Europe, anywhere, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself every day, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of kids hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s nice to inspire them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”

The program alumni are welcomed to the US annually to coach the next wave of potential NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us return