The Athletes and Coaches Born Outside in the United States

Although the US is a country of newcomers, the National Football League is still dominated by American-born athletes. Just five percent of participants are foreign-born, and the majority of them enter the sport by going to college in the United States. True outsiders are unusual, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.

Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL

For the past six months, Cook has been in control of player development at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible given he was raised in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his father and came across what he called a “strange and amazing” game. He started playing in his area and quickly aspired to become the first-ever NFL quarterback from Europe. He progressed to playing for Team GB, but his plans to attend college in the US proved financially prohibitive.

“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys needed me, I would switch my schedule and help out. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear around London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

This is where he encountered Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the IPP programme in 2017 with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first-ever British full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting players,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I went to Australia to train aspiring athletes from across the Pacific region to get them into the US college system, like what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to Durde before him, Cook transitioned from working with foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns called out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role supporting rookies, optimizing efficiency on the training ground, collaborating with physios, the coach and GM. It’s a really active position, which is ideal for me. My background was guiding players from abroad who had not played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to establish structure and schedules: learning to look after their health and deal with a massive playbook. But also just being present for players. That’s the same everywhere. And I love that.”

Does being an Englishman who never compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a imagined barrier than an real one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and many players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and require help in the identical ways. If players know you can help them, they don’t care about your origin or how you speak. And when players realize that you care, all the rest fades.”

Benefits of Coming From Outside the NFL Bubble

Coming from outside 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 linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he loves it. You make those connections and form friendships. Teammates are truly curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than many think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a variety of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been better at attracting foreign fans than developing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby player from Australia who claimed the championship recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have risen to the very top.

Foreign Athletes and Their Journeys

Foreign players have usually been specialists, brought in from other football codes. Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for being a kicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in England to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and did not educated in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s youth team before discovering American football at university, has achieved that. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is just as improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the Italian was clearly not suited for his preferred games, soccer and the sport, so took up American football in his teenage years. He impressed while representing clubs in Europe and Europe, as well as the national side, and was offered a spot on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have periods on the fringes at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is hasn’t had game time on the gridiron. Is being a foreigner still a challenge?

“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the player. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. Initially, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a really inclusive culture, a great team, a top franchise.”

Despite spending most of training with his fellow linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his clubs. “Naturally the O-line is consistently very tight because we are a group and united, but we have mates from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for two years at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is aware he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say every nation beyond the US. The better every IPP graduate does, the greater number of youth who participate in Italy, in Europe, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in every day, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids hitting me up, seeking 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 new group of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us come back