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While the United States is a nation of newcomers, the NFL is still dominated by US-born athletes. Just 5% of participants are foreign-born, and the majority of them step into the sport by going to college in the US. Genuine international figures are rare, and foreign coaches are especially rare, which renders James Cook’s journey remarkable.

James Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League

Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he grew up in Surrey, is in his twenties, and did not participated in professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his father and stumbled upon what he called a “weird and wonderful” sport. He began participating locally and quickly wanted to become the first-ever NFL QB from Europe. He got as far as playing for Team GB, but his dreams to go to college in the US were financially prohibitive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people needed me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d appear around London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often buy me lunch.”

It was here that he met Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he established the IPP program in that year with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first UK permanent coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable players,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to train younger players from across the Pacific to get them into college football, like what I had hoped to do.”

Making the Leap to NFL Coaching

Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “The Browns contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a hybrid role supporting younger players, maximising efficiency on the training ground, collaborating with physios, the coach and general manager. It’s a very active role, which is perfect for me. My experience was working with international athletes who had not played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to build structure and routines: learning to take care of their health and deal with a huge game plan. But also just being available for guys. That’s the same across the board. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Englishman who did not play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a imagined 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 under pressure about the same things and require help in the identical ways. If players know you can assist them, they don’t care where you’re from or what accent. And when people realize that you are invested, all the other stuff fades.”

Benefits of Being Outside the US System

Coming 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 offensive linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and build relationships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are more diverse than people think. We have staff from all sorts of backgrounds, a variety of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been better at producing foreign fans than nurturing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Australia who claimed the championship earlier this year with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have risen to the very top.

Foreign Players and Their Journeys

Foreign players have usually been specialists, recruited from different sports. Howfield exchanged soccer for English clubs for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in England to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not educated in the American system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s academy before finding American football at university, has achieved that. He competed in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was obviously not suited for his preferred games, soccer and handball, so started American football in his late teens. He impressed while representing teams in Europe and Germany, as well as the national side, and was given a place on the IPP in 2021.

A year later, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had periods on the periphery at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in every locker room but is hasn’t had game time on the gridiron. Is being 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 doesn’t really matter. Initially, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a very inclusive culture, a great squad, a great organization.”

Despite spending the majority of practice with his fellow linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his clubs. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a group and altogether one, but we have mates from all positions. My close friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, actually – played wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for a while at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, special teams: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say all the countries outside the United States. The better each one of us performs, the greater number of young people who play football in Europe, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in every day, I can succeed.’ I have a many youngsters contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to inspire them to experience what I’ve experienced.”

The IPP graduates are welcomed to the US each year to coach the next wave of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us return