The Players and Trainers Born Outside in the USA
While the US is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is still dominated by American-born athletes. Just 5% of players are foreign-born, and most of them step into the game by going to university in the US. Genuine international figures are unusual, and foreign coaches are particularly scarce, which renders James Cook’s journey exceptional.
James Cook’s Surprising Path to the League
For the past six months, Cook has been in control of player development at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible given he grew up in Surrey, is in his twenties, and did not participated in 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 in his area and soon aspired to become the first NFL quarterback from Europe. He got as far as playing for Team GB, but his plans to attend college in the US proved financially prohibitive.
“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys wanted me, I would adjust my schedule and assist. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could throw. So when they trained with players, I’d appear all over London and throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”
It was here that he encountered Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the International Player Pathway programme in 2017 with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Atlanta 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; Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Australia to work with aspiring athletes from across the Pacific to introduce them to college football, similar to what I wanted to do.”
Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL
Like Durde before him, Cook transitioned from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “The Browns contacted me out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting rookies, maximising efficiency on the practice field, collaborating with physios, the coach and GM. It’s a really active role, which is perfect for me. My background was working with players from abroad who had never played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to establish habits and routines: learning to look after their body and deal with a massive playbook. But also just being available for guys. That’s the same across the board. And I enjoy that.”
Does being an Brit who did not play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a imagined hurdle than an real one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments 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 same things and require support in the same ways. If players know you can assist them, they don’t care where you’re from or how you speak. And when players know that you care, all the other stuff melts away.”
Advantages of Coming From Outside the NFL Bubble
Originating from beyond the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and build relationships. Teammates are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are varied than people think. We have staff from various origins, a range of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”
The NFL has been better at attracting international supporters than developing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Australia who claimed the championship recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have made it to the elite level.
Foreign Players and Their Paths
International athletes have typically been specialists, brought in from different sports. Bobby Howfield swapped playing up front for Watford and Fulham for being a kicker for the 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 special teams player and did not educated in the American system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.
Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s youth team before finding American football at university, has made that step. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Maximilian Pircher’s experience is equally unlikely. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the from Italy was obviously not built for his preferred games, soccer and handball, so started American football in his late teens. He impressed while representing clubs in Europe and Europe, as well as the national side, 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 Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had periods on the periphery at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in each team but is hasn’t had action on the gridiron. Is being a international player still a challenge?
“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” notes the player. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they ask: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a very inclusive environment, a great team, a great franchise.”
Despite spending most of practice with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his clubs. “Naturally the offensive line is always very tight because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have friends from all positions. My close friend, Akers – my best man, actually – played wide receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Packers, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”
Motivating the Next Generation
Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just Italy and Austria. “In my view every nation beyond the US. The more successful each one of us performs, the more young people who play football in Europe, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself every day, I can succeed.’ I have a many youngsters hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”
The program alumni are welcomed to Florida each year to coach the next wave of potential NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us come back
