🔗 Share this article

Although the US is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is largely dominated by American-born athletes. Only 5% of players are born abroad, and most of them step into the game by going to college in the United States. True international figures are unusual, and coaches from abroad are particularly rare, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.

James Cook’s Surprising Path to the NFL

Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible considering he grew up in Surrey, is in his twenties, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his father and stumbled upon what he called a “weird and wonderful” sport. He began participating in his area and soon wanted to become the first-ever NFL QB born in Europe. He progressed to playing for Great Britain, but his plans to attend university in the US were too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people needed me, I would switch my shifts and assist. As a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d show up around London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

It was here that he met Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he set up the International Player Pathway programme in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first British permanent coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting players,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Australia to train younger players from across the Pacific region to get them into college football, like what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Like Durde before him, Cook made the jump from training foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting younger players, maximising efficiency on the practice field, collaborating with medical staff, the coach and general manager. It’s a really hands-on role, which is ideal for me. My experience was working with international athletes who had not played the sport. Rookie newcomers also have to establish habits and schedules: learning to take care of their health and handle a huge playbook. But also just being present for players. That’s the identical everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Brit who did not 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 Lasso-style jokes and many players call me ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the same things and need help in the same ways. If players know you can help them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or what accent. And when players realize that you care, all the other stuff melts away.”

Advantages of Being Outside the NFL Bubble

Originating from outside the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we left, one of our linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and form friendships. Teammates are truly curious. NFL buildings are more diverse than many think. We have staff from all sorts of backgrounds, a range of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been better at producing international supporters than developing global talent. Mailata, a former rugby player from Sydney who won the championship earlier this year with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have made it to the elite level.

International Athletes and Their Paths

International athletes have usually been specialists, recruited from other football codes. Howfield exchanged playing up front for Watford and Fulham for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not educated in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s academy before finding the sport at university, has made that step. He competed in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is just as unlikely. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the from Italy was obviously not built for his preferred games, soccer and handball, so started the NFL in his teenage years. He impressed while representing teams in Austria and Europe, as well as the national side, and was offered a spot on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had spells on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is hasn’t had game time on the field. Is his status as a international player still a hurdle?

“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they ask: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a very welcoming environment, a excellent team, a great organization.”

Despite devoting most of training with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his clubs. “Obviously the offensive line is always close-knit because we are a group and united, but we have mates from all positions. My close friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a wide receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Packers, Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for two years at the Rams. QBs, defenders, specialists: we’ve have to be supportive.”

Motivating the Next Generation

Pircher is conscious he represents more than just his home countries. “In my view all the countries beyond the United States. The better each one of us does, the greater number of youth who play football in Italy, in Europe, anywhere, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself every day, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of kids contacting me, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The IPP graduates are all invited to Florida annually to train the new group of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us return