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Although the United States is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is still led by US-born players. Just 5% of participants are foreign-born, and most of them enter the sport by attending university in the US. True international figures are rare, and coaches from abroad are particularly rare, which renders James Cook’s story remarkable.

Cook’s Unlikely Path to the League

Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Browns organization. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible considering he was raised in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his father and stumbled upon what he called a “weird and wonderful” sport. He began participating locally and soon wanted to become the first-ever NFL quarterback from Europe. He progressed to playing for Team GB, but his plans to attend university in the US proved financially prohibitive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people wanted me, I would switch my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the one thing 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 didn’t get paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

It was here that he met Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he established the IPP program in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first-ever UK permanent coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting players,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to train younger players from across the Pacific region to get them into college football, similar to what I had hoped to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Like Durde before him, Cook transitioned from working with international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a hybrid role supporting rookies, optimizing time on the training ground, collaborating with physios, the coach and GM. It’s a really active position, which is perfect for me. My experience was guiding international athletes who had not played the game. Rookie newcomers also have to establish habits and routines: how to look after their body and deal with a massive game plan. But also just being available for guys. That’s the same across the board. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Brit who did not compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a perceived barrier than an real one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and loads of players call me ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the same things and require help in the same ways. If players understand you can help them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or how you speak. And when people know that you care, all the rest melts away.”

Benefits of Being Outside the US System

Originating from beyond the American football world has its upsides. “I addressed 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 enjoys it. You make those connections and form friendships. People are truly intrigued. NFL buildings are varied than people think. We have people from various origins, a variety 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 more successful at attracting international supporters than nurturing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby player from Australia who claimed the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have made it to the very top.

International Athletes and Their Journeys

Foreign players have typically been kickers, brought in from other football codes. Bobby Howfield swapped soccer for Watford and Fulham for being a kicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in St Albans to the Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and were not trained in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s academy before discovering the sport at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He played in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s story is just as unlikely. At over two meters and heavyweight, the Italian was obviously not built for his preferred games, football and handball, so started the NFL in his late teens. He impressed while representing clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the national side, and was offered a place on the IPP in 2021.

A year later, he held the championship trophy as a part of the Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had spells on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in each team but is yet to see action on the field. Is being a international player still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they ask: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a really welcoming culture, a excellent team, a great franchise.”

Although devoting the majority of training with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Naturally the O-line is always very tight because we are a group and united, but we have mates from all positions. My close friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – played wide receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for two years at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, specialists: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he symbolizes not only Italy and Austria. “I would say every nation outside the United States. The more successful each one of us does, the more young people who participate in Italy, in Europe, wherever, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a many youngsters contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to inspire them to experience what I’ve achieved.”

The IPP graduates are welcomed to the US each year to coach the new group of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us return