The Players and Trainers Born Outside in the USA
Although the US is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is largely led by American-born players. Just 5% of participants are foreign-born, and most of them enter the sport by going to college in the United States. True international figures are rare, and coaches from abroad are especially rare, which makes James Cook’s story remarkable.
Cook’s Surprising Path to the League
Cook has been in charge 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 never participated in pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his dad and came across what he called a “strange and amazing” game. He started playing locally and quickly aspired to become the first-ever NFL QB born in Europe. He progressed to representing Great Britain, but his dreams to attend college in the US proved too expensive.
“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys wanted me, I would switch my shifts and help out. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d show up around London and throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”
This is where he encountered Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he established the IPP programme in 2017 with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first-ever UK full-time 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 Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to train younger players from across the Pacific to get them into college football, similar to what I had hoped to do.”
Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL
Like Durde before him, Cook made the jump from working with foreign players to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting rookies, optimizing efficiency on the training ground, collaborating with medical staff, the head coach and GM. It’s a very hands-on position, which is ideal for me. My background was working with international athletes who had never played the game. Rookie rookies also have to establish structure and schedules: learning to take care of their body and handle a massive playbook. But also just being present for players. That’s the same across the board. And I love that.”
Is being an Englishman who never compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a imagined barrier than an actual one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and many players call me ‘bruv’ 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 same things and require support in the same ways. If players understand you can help them, they don’t care about your origin or how you speak. And when people realize that you are invested, all the rest fades.”
Advantages of Coming From Outside the NFL Bubble
Coming from outside the American football world has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we left, one of our linemen asked me about the sport with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and form friendships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL buildings are varied than many think. We have staff from all sorts of origins, a variety of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”
The NFL has been more successful at attracting foreign fans than nurturing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Australia who claimed the championship earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have risen to the elite level.
Foreign Athletes and Their Paths
International athletes have usually been specialists, recruited from other football codes. Howfield swapped playing up front for Watford and Fulham for being a kicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a kicker and did not trained in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.
Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s youth team before finding the sport at university, has made that step. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.
Pircher’s experience is equally improbable. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not built for his favoured sports, football and handball, so started the NFL in his teenage years. He impressed while representing clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was given a place on the IPP in that year.
The following year, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had periods 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 each team but is yet to see game time on the field. Is being a foreigner still a challenge?
“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, 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 Minnesota have a really welcoming culture, a excellent team, a great franchise.”
Although devoting most of training with his fellow linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is always 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, in fact – played receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for two years at the Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve have to be there for each other.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
Pircher is conscious he symbolizes not only Italy and Austria. “I would say every nation beyond the US. The better each one of us performs, the more young people who participate in Europe, in Europe, wherever, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in every day, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of kids hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”
The program alumni are welcomed to Florida annually to train the next wave of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us return
