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Although the United States is a country of newcomers, the National Football League is still led by US-born players. Only five percent of players are foreign-born, and most of them step into the sport by attending college in the United States. Genuine international figures are unusual, and foreign coaches are particularly scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey remarkable.

Cook’s Surprising Journey to the NFL

For the past six months, Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and did not played pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his father and stumbled upon what he described as a “weird and wonderful” game. He started playing locally and quickly wanted to become the first-ever NFL QB born in Europe. He progressed to representing Great Britain, but his dreams to go to college in the US proved too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys needed me, I would adjust 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 all over London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”

This is where he encountered Aden Durde, who had periods with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he set up the IPP program in that year with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first British permanent coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable players,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Australia to work with aspiring athletes from across the Pacific to get them into college football, like what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to Durde before him, Cook made the jump from training foreign players to joining the NFL. “The Browns contacted me unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, maximising time on the practice field, working closely with physios, the coach and general manager. It’s a really hands-on role, which is ideal for me. My background was guiding players from abroad who had not played the game. First-year newcomers also have to establish structure and schedules: learning to take care of their body and handle a massive game plan. But also just being available for guys. That’s the same everywhere. And I love that.”

Does being an Englishman who did not play in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a perceived barrier than an actual one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style comments and many players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the similar things and need help in the identical ways. If players know you can assist them, they don’t care where you’re from or how you speak. And when people know that you are invested, all the rest melts away.”

Benefits of Being Beyond the NFL Bubble

Originating from outside the American football world has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and build relationships. People are genuinely curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than many think. We have staff from all sorts of origins, a range of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been better at attracting international supporters than nurturing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the championship recently with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have risen to the very top.

International Athletes and Their Paths

International athletes have typically been kickers, brought in from other football codes. Howfield exchanged playing up front for English clubs for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in England to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you do not want to be a special teams player and were not trained in the American system, it’s extremely difficult 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 Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is equally unlikely. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the from Italy was obviously not suited for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so started the NFL in his late teens. He impressed while playing for clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the national side, and was given a spot on the IPP in that year.

A year later, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had periods on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota 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 ask: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a very welcoming culture, a great squad, a great organization.”

Although spending most of training with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his teams. “Naturally the O-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 – was a wide receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Packers, Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for a while at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Future

Pircher is aware he represents not only Italy and Austria. “In my view all the countries beyond the United States. The better each one of us performs, the more youth who participate in Europe, in Germany, wherever, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of kids contacting me, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”

The program alumni are welcomed to the US annually to coach the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us return