The Players and Trainers Not Born in the USA
Although the United States is a country of immigrants, the NFL is largely dominated by American-born athletes. Only five percent of players are born abroad, and most of them step into the sport by attending college in the United States. True outsiders are unusual, and coaches from abroad are especially rare, which makes James Cook’s journey remarkable.
James Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL
For the past six months, Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Browns organization. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible considering he grew up in England, is in his late 20s, and never participated in 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 started playing locally and quickly aspired to become the first-ever NFL quarterback born in Europe. He got as far as representing Team GB, but his plans to attend university in the US proved financially prohibitive.
“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys wanted me, I would switch my schedule and assist. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up around London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”
This is where he met Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he established the IPP program in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff 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, coaching some really interesting guys,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from around the Pacific region to get them into the US college system, like what I wanted to do.”
Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL
Similar to Durde before him, Cook made the jump from working with foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns called unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting younger players, optimizing efficiency on the practice field, collaborating with medical staff, the coach and general manager. It’s a really active position, which is perfect for me. My experience was guiding international athletes who had never played the game. First-year rookies also have to establish structure and routines: how to look after their health and deal with a huge playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the identical across the board. And I enjoy that.”
Does being an Englishman who did not play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a perceived hurdle than an actual one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style jokes and many players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the same things and need support in the same ways. If players know you can help them, they don’t care about your origin or what accent. And when players realize that you are invested, all the rest fades.”
Advantages of Coming From Beyond the NFL Bubble
Originating from beyond the American football world has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen asked me about rugby with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are truly curious. NFL buildings are varied than many think. We have people from all sorts of origins, a range of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”
The NFL has been better at producing international supporters than nurturing global talent. Mailata, a former rugby player from Sydney who won the championship earlier this year with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have made it to the very top.
International Athletes and Their Paths
Foreign players have usually been kickers, recruited from different sports. Howfield swapped playing up front for Watford and Fulham for being a placekicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you do not want to be a special teams player and did not educated 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 the sport at Nottingham University, has made that step. He played in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Steelers.
Pircher’s experience is equally improbable. At over two meters and heavyweight, the Italian was clearly not built for his preferred games, soccer and handball, so started the NFL in his late teens. He stood out while representing teams in Europe and Europe, as well as the national side, and was given a spot on the IPP in 2021.
A year later, he had his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the Rams training team. Pircher went on to have spells on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in every locker room but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is his status as 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 ask: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a very welcoming environment, a excellent team, a top franchise.”
Although spending most of practice with his fellow linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his teams. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a group and united, but we have friends from every position group. My close friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – played receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. QBs, defenders, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”
Motivating the Next Generation
Pircher is conscious he symbolizes more than just Italy and Austria. “In my view every nation beyond the US. The better each one of us performs, the more youth who participate in Europe, in Germany, wherever, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in every day, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of kids hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”
The program alumni are all invited to the US annually to coach the new group of potential NFL internationals. “Almost all of us return
