The Players and Trainers Not Born in the USA
While the US is a nation of immigrants, the NFL is largely led by American-born athletes. Only five percent of players are born abroad, and most of them enter the game by attending university in the US. Genuine international figures are rare, and foreign coaches are particularly rare, which renders 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 Cleveland Browns. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he grew up in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and never played professional sport. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his dad and came across what he called a “weird and wonderful” game. He began participating locally and quickly wanted to become the first-ever NFL QB from Europe. He progressed to playing for Great Britain, but his dreams to attend university in the US proved too expensive.
“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people wanted me, I would switch my shifts and assist. As a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d appear all over London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”
This is where he met Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he established the IPP program in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as 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 players,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to work with younger players from across the Pacific region to get them into college football, similar to what I had hoped to do.”
Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL
Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from working with foreign players to joining the NFL. “The Browns called unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, maximising time on the training ground, collaborating with medical staff, the coach and GM. It’s a very hands-on role, which is ideal for me. My background was guiding international athletes who had not played the sport. First-year rookies also have to establish structure and routines: learning to look after their body and handle a massive playbook. But also just being present for guys. That’s the identical across the board. And I enjoy that.”
Is being an Brit who never play in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a perceived barrier than an actual one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style jokes and loads of players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the similar things and require help in the identical ways. If players understand you can assist them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or how you speak. And when players realize that you are invested, all the other stuff fades.”
Advantages of Being Outside the NFL Bubble
Coming from beyond the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I addressed in front of the entire team 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 form friendships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are varied than people think. We have people from various origins, a variety of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”
The NFL has been more successful at producing foreign fans than nurturing foreign players. Mailata, a former rugby player from Australia who won the championship recently with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have made it to the elite level.
Foreign Players and Their Paths
Foreign players have typically been specialists, recruited from different sports. Bobby Howfield swapped playing up front for Watford and Fulham for being a placekicker for the Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in England to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and did not trained in the US college system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.
Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s academy before discovering American football at Nottingham University, has made that step. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Steelers.
Maximilian Pircher’s experience is equally unlikely. At over two meters and heavyweight, the Italian was obviously not built for his preferred games, soccer and the sport, so took up the NFL in his late teens. He impressed while playing for teams in Austria and Germany, as well as the national side, and was given a place on the IPP in that year.
The following year, he held the championship trophy as a member of the Rams training team. Pircher went on to have periods on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is hasn’t had action on the gridiron. Is being a foreigner still a challenge?
“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” notes 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 really welcoming environment, a excellent squad, a top franchise.”
Despite spending most of training with his other linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his clubs. “Naturally the offensive line is always close-knit because we are a unit and united, but we have friends from all positions. My close friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for two years at the LA Rams. QBs, defenders, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”
Inspiring the Future
Pircher is conscious he symbolizes not only his home countries. “I would say every nation beyond the United States. The better every IPP graduate does, the more youth who participate in Italy, in Germany, wherever, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of kids contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to encourage them to experience what I’ve experienced.”
The IPP graduates are all invited to the US annually to train the new group of aspiring NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us return