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While the US is a nation of immigrants, the NFL is still led by US-born players. Just 5% of players are foreign-born, and the majority of them step into the sport by going to university in the United States. Genuine outsiders are rare, and coaches from abroad are especially rare, which renders James Cook’s journey exceptional.

Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL

For the past six months, Cook has been in control of player development at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible considering he grew up in England, is in his twenties, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he called a “weird and wonderful” sport. He began participating in his area and quickly wanted to become the first-ever NFL QB born in Europe. He got as far as representing Great Britain, but his dreams to go to university in the US proved financially prohibitive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys 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 get me lunch.”

This is where he encountered Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he set up the IPP programme in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Falcons, becoming the first-ever UK permanent coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting guys,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Australia to train aspiring athletes from around the Pacific to get them into college football, like what I had hoped to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from working with foreign players to joining the NFL. “Cleveland called out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, optimizing efficiency on the practice field, working closely with physios, the coach and general manager. It’s a very active role, which is ideal for me. My experience was working with players from abroad who had not played the game. First-year rookies also have to establish habits and routines: learning to look after their body and handle a massive playbook. But also just being present for guys. That’s the identical across the board. And I love that.”

Does being an Brit who never play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an actual one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style jokes and many players call me ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the similar things and require support in the identical ways. If players understand you can assist them, they don’t care about your origin or what accent. And when people realize that you care, all the other stuff melts away.”

Advantages of Being Beyond the NFL Bubble

Originating from outside the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and build relationships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than many think. We have people from various origins, a variety of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at attracting foreign fans than nurturing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who won the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have made it to the very top.

International Athletes and Their Paths

International athletes have usually been kickers, recruited from other football codes. Bobby Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for becoming a kicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in England to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you do not want to be a kicker and were not educated in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s youth team before discovering the sport at university, has made that step. 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 over two meters and 23 stone, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his preferred games, football and the sport, so took up the NFL in his late teens. He stood out while playing for teams in Austria and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was given a place on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he had his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have spells on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in each team but is hasn’t had game time on the field. Is being a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” 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 all friends. The Minnesota have a very inclusive culture, a excellent squad, a great organization.”

Although spending the majority of training with his fellow linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his clubs. “Naturally the O-line is always very tight because we are a group and united, but we have mates from all positions. My close friend, Akers – my best man, in fact – was a receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for two years at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is aware he symbolizes not only his home countries. “In my view all the countries beyond the United States. The more successful each one of us performs, the greater number of young people who participate in Europe, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in every day, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to experience what I’ve achieved.”

The IPP graduates are welcomed to Florida annually to coach the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us return