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Although the US is a country of newcomers, the National Football League is still dominated by American-born athletes. Only 5% of players are foreign-born, and most of them enter the sport by attending college in the United States. Genuine outsiders are rare, and foreign coaches are particularly scarce, which makes James Cook’s story exceptional.

Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the NFL

For the past six months, Cook has been in charge of player development at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible considering he was raised in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and did not played professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his father and stumbled upon what he called a “strange and amazing” game. He began participating locally and quickly aspired to become the first-ever NFL quarterback from Europe. He progressed to playing for Team GB, but his dreams to go to university in the US proved too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people 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 around London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”

It was here that he encountered Durde, who had periods with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first UK permanent coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting players,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to train aspiring athletes from across the Pacific to get them into college football, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from training foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, optimizing time on the practice field, collaborating with medical staff, the head coach and GM. It’s a really active position, which is perfect for me. My experience was working with international athletes who had never played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to build structure and routines: how to look after their body and deal with a massive playbook. But also just being present for players. That’s the identical everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Brit who did not play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an real one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and many players call me ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the same things and need support in the identical ways. If players know you can help them, they don’t care about your origin or how you speak. And when players realize that you are invested, all the rest melts away.”

Advantages of Being Beyond the US System

Coming from outside the American football world has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we left, one of our linemen asked me about rugby with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and form friendships. Teammates are truly intrigued. NFL buildings are varied than people think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a variety of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been more successful at attracting international supporters than developing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby player from Australia who won the championship recently 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 typically been specialists, brought in from other football codes. Bobby Howfield exchanged soccer for English clubs for being a kicker for the Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not trained in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s academy before finding American football at Nottingham University, has made that step. He played in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is just as unlikely. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the Italian was clearly not built for his favoured sports, football and the sport, so took up the NFL in his teenage years. He impressed while playing for clubs in Austria and Europe, as well as the national side, and was given a place on the IPP in that year.

A year later, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had spells on the periphery at the Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is yet to see game time on the field. Is his status as a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a really inclusive environment, a excellent team, a great franchise.”

Despite devoting most of training with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have mates from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, actually – was a wide receiver at the Rams. The long snapper 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 have to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Next Generation

Pircher is conscious he represents not only his home countries. “In my view every nation outside the United States. The more successful each one of us performs, the more young people who play football in Italy, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself every day, I can succeed.’ 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 the US each year to train the new group of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us return