The Players and Trainers Not Born in the United States
While the US is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is still led by American-born players. Just five percent of participants are born abroad, and the majority of them enter the sport by going to college in the United States. True outsiders are rare, and coaches from abroad are particularly scarce, which renders James Cook’s journey remarkable.
Cook’s Surprising Path to the NFL
For the past six months, Cook has been in charge of player development at the Cleveland Browns. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible considering he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and never participated in pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his father and came across what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He began participating locally and soon aspired to become the first NFL QB born in Europe. He got as far as representing Great Britain, but his plans to attend university in the US were financially prohibitive.
“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people needed me, I would switch my shifts and help out. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up around London and throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”
This is where he encountered Durde, who had periods with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he established the IPP programme in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Falcons, becoming the first-ever UK permanent coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting guys,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from across the Pacific region to introduce them to the US college system, like what I wanted to do.”
Transitioning to NFL Coaching
Similar to Durde before him, Cook made the jump from training foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns called out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, maximising time on the training ground, working closely with physios, the head coach and general manager. It’s a very hands-on position, which is perfect for me. My experience was guiding players from abroad who had never played the sport. Rookie newcomers also have to build habits and routines: how to take care of their health and handle a massive game plan. But also just being available for players. That’s the same everywhere. And I enjoy that.”
Is being an Englishman who never compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an actual one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and loads of players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they love that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and require help in the same ways. If players know you can assist them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or what accent. And when players know that you are invested, all the rest fades.”
Benefits of Being Outside the US System
Coming from outside the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I addressed in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen asked me about rugby with me as he loves it. You make those connections and form friendships. People are genuinely curious. NFL organizations are varied than many think. We have people from various backgrounds, a variety of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”
The NFL has been more successful at attracting foreign fans than developing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Australia who won the championship earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have risen to the very top.
International Athletes and Their Journeys
Foreign players have typically been kickers, recruited from different sports. Howfield exchanged soccer for English clubs for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby in England to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not trained in the American system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.
Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before finding American football at university, has made that step. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.
Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so took up American football in his late teens. He impressed while representing clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a spot on the IPP in that year.
The following year, he had his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have spells on the fringes at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in each team but is yet to see action on the field. Is his status as a foreigner still a challenge?
“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” notes the player. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a really inclusive environment, a great team, a great franchise.”
Despite spending the majority of practice with his other linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Naturally the O-line is consistently close-knit because we are a unit and united, but we have friends from all positions. My close friend, Landen Akers – my best man, actually – was a wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for two years at the Rams. QBs, defenders, special teams: we’ve have to be supportive.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
Pircher is conscious he symbolizes not only his home countries. “In my view all the countries outside the US. The more successful each one of us does, the more young people who participate in Europe, in Germany, anywhere, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a many youngsters hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s nice to encourage them to experience what I’ve achieved.”
The program alumni are all invited to the US each year to train the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Almost all of us return
