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While the US is a country of newcomers, the NFL is largely dominated by US-born players. Just 5% of participants are born abroad, and the majority of them enter the sport by going to university in the United States. True outsiders are rare, and coaches from abroad are especially rare, which renders James Cook’s story exceptional.

Cook’s Surprising Path to the League

For the past six months, Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Browns organization. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he grew up in England, is in his late 20s, and did not played pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his father and stumbled upon what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He began participating in his area and soon aspired to become the first NFL QB born in Europe. He got as far as playing for Team GB, but his dreams to go to university in the US proved too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys needed me, I would adjust my schedule and help out. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear all over London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”

It was here that he met Aden Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he established the International Player Pathway program in 2017 with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first-ever British full-time coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting players,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to train aspiring athletes from across the Pacific to get them into the US college system, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to NFL Coaching

Like Durde before him, Cook transitioned from training international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns called unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role supporting rookies, maximising efficiency on the practice field, collaborating with medical staff, the coach and general manager. It’s a very active position, which is perfect for me. My background was working with international athletes who had never played the sport. Rookie newcomers also have to establish structure and routines: learning to look after their body and handle a huge game plan. But also just being present for players. That’s the identical everywhere. And I love that.”

Does being an Englishman who did not play in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a perceived hurdle than an actual one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and loads of players call me ‘bruv’ as they love that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the same things and require help in the same ways. If players understand you can assist them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or what accent. And when people realize that you care, all the rest fades.”

Advantages of Being Outside the US System

Coming from beyond the American football world has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and form friendships. Teammates are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are varied than many think. We have people from various backgrounds, a range of experiences. Our saying 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 attracting international supporters than nurturing foreign players. Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Sydney who won the championship recently with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have risen to the elite level.

International Athletes and Their Paths

International athletes have typically been kickers, recruited from other football codes. Howfield exchanged playing up front for English clubs for being a kicker for the Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in England 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 very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s academy before discovering the sport at university, has achieved that. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is just as improbable. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was obviously not built for his preferred games, soccer and the sport, so started the NFL in his teenage years. He impressed while playing for teams in Europe and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a place on the IPP in that year.

The following year, he held the championship trophy as a part of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have periods on the periphery at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in each team but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is being a international player still a hurdle?

“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a very inclusive environment, a great team, a great franchise.”

Despite spending the majority of practice with his fellow linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his clubs. “Obviously the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a group and altogether one, but we have friends from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my best man, actually – played receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for two years at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just his home countries. “In my view all the countries beyond the United States. The better every IPP graduate performs, the more youth who participate in Italy, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many kids hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to experience what I’ve experienced.”

The program alumni are welcomed to the US each year to train the next wave of potential NFL internationals. “Almost all of us return