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While the US is a country of newcomers, the National Football League is largely dominated by US-born players. Only 5% of participants are foreign-born, and the majority of them step into the sport by going to university in the United States. Genuine outsiders are unusual, and foreign coaches are especially rare, which renders James Cook’s story remarkable.

Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the NFL

For the past six months, Cook has been in charge of player development at the Browns organization. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he was raised in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and did not played pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing in his area and soon wanted to become the first NFL QB born in Europe. He progressed to representing Great Britain, but his dreams to go to college in the US were financially prohibitive.

“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys needed me, I would switch my schedule and assist. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could throw. So when they trained with players, I’d show up around London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”

It was here that he met Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the IPP programme in 2017 with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Falcons, becoming the first UK full-time coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable guys,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I went to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from across the Pacific region to introduce them to college football, like what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Like Durde before him, Cook made the jump from working with foreign players to joining the NFL. “Cleveland called unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting rookies, maximising efficiency on the training ground, 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 international athletes who had not played the game. First-year rookies also have to establish structure and routines: learning to look after their health and deal with a massive playbook. But also just being present for players. That’s the identical across the board. And I love that.”

Does being an Englishman who did not compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a imagined barrier than an actual one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and many players call me ‘bruv’ 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 require help in the identical ways. If players understand you can help them, they don’t care where you’re from or what accent. And when players realize that you are invested, all the other stuff fades.”

Advantages of Coming From Beyond the US System

Coming from outside the American football world has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and form friendships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are more diverse than people think. We have staff from various origins, a range of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so lean into it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing foreign fans than nurturing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Sydney who claimed the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the elite level.

International Athletes and Their Paths

Foreign players have usually been specialists, brought in from different sports. Bobby Howfield swapped soccer for English clubs for becoming a kicker for the Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in St Albans to the Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and were not trained in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.

Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before discovering the sport at university, has made that step. He played in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At over two meters and 23 stone, the Italian was clearly not suited for his preferred games, football and handball, so started American football in his teenage years. He stood out while playing for teams in Europe and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was given a place on the IPP in 2021.

A year later, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have spells 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 each team but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is being a international player still a challenge?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” notes the player. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they ask: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a really welcoming environment, a excellent team, a top organization.”

Despite devoting the majority of training with his other linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his clubs. “Obviously the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have mates from all positions. My best friend, Akers – my best man, in fact – played receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for two years at the Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he represents not only Italy and Austria. “I would say all the countries outside the United States. The more successful each one of us performs, the more young people who play football in Italy, in Europe, wherever, can see: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself every day, I can succeed.’ I have a many youngsters hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s nice to encourage them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”

The program alumni are all invited to the US annually to train the new group of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us return