The Players and Coaches Born Outside in the United States
While the United States is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is largely dominated by US-born players. Only five percent of participants are born abroad, and most of them step into the game by going to university in the United States. True outsiders are rare, and coaches from abroad are particularly rare, which renders James Cook’s journey exceptional.
James Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League
Cook has been in charge of player development at the Cleveland Browns. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his father and stumbled upon what he described as a “weird and wonderful” sport. He started playing locally and soon aspired to become the first-ever NFL quarterback born in Europe. He got as far as playing for Team GB, but his plans to attend university in the US proved financially prohibitive.
“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys needed me, I would switch my schedule and help out. As a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. 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 buy me lunch.”
This is where he met Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he established the IPP program in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Falcons, becoming the first British permanent coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting guys,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I went to Down Under to train aspiring athletes from around the Pacific to get them into college football, similar to what I wanted to do.”
Transitioning to NFL Coaching
Like his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from working with international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland called out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, maximising time on the training ground, collaborating with physios, the head coach and GM. It’s a really active position, which is perfect for me. My background was guiding players from abroad who had never played the game. Rookie rookies also have to build habits and schedules: learning to take care of their health and handle a massive playbook. But also just being present 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 barrier than an real one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and loads of players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the similar things and need support in the identical ways. If players understand you can assist them, they don’t care about your origin or what accent. And when players realize that you care, all the rest melts away.”
Advantages of Being Beyond the NFL Bubble
Coming from beyond the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we left, one of our linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. Teammates are genuinely curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than many think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a range of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”
The NFL has been better at attracting international supporters than nurturing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby 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.
International Athletes and Their Paths
International athletes have usually been kickers, brought in from different sports. Howfield swapped playing up front for English clubs for becoming a placekicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in St Albans to the Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and did not educated in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.
Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before discovering the sport at Nottingham University, has made that step. He played in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.
Pircher’s story is just as unlikely. At over two meters and 23 stone, the from Italy was obviously not suited for his favoured sports, football and handball, so started American football in his late teens. He stood out while playing for teams in Austria and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a spot on the IPP in 2021.
The following year, he had his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have periods on the fringes at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and 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 action on the field. Is his status as a foreigner still a challenge?
“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 ask: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a really welcoming environment, a great squad, a great organization.”
Although spending the majority of training with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his clubs. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently close-knit because we are a unit and united, but we have friends from every position group. My best friend, Landen Akers – my best man, in fact – was a receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Packers, Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for two years at the Rams. QBs, defenders, specialists: we’ve have to be supportive.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
Pircher is conscious he symbolizes not only his home countries. “I would say all the countries outside the US. The more successful every IPP graduate performs, the greater number of youth who play football in Italy, in Europe, anywhere, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, seeking tips. It’s nice to inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”
The IPP graduates are welcomed to Florida each year to train the next wave of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us come back
