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Although the United States is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is largely led by American-born athletes. Just 5% of participants are foreign-born, and the majority of them step into the game by attending college in the United States. True international figures are unusual, and coaches from abroad are particularly scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.

Cook’s Surprising Journey to the League

For the past six months, Cook has been in control of player development at the Browns organization. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible given he grew up in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and did not played professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his father and came across what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing locally and quickly wanted to become the first-ever NFL QB from Europe. He got as far as playing for Team GB, but his dreams to attend college in the US proved too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people needed me, I would adjust my schedule and help out. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear all over London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get 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 career before he set up the IPP program in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first UK permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable players,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I went to Australia to train aspiring athletes from across the Pacific region to introduce them to the US college system, like what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Like his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from working with international athletes to joining the NFL. “The Browns called unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting rookies, maximising time on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the coach and GM. It’s a very hands-on role, which is perfect for me. My experience was guiding players from abroad who had never played the sport. First-year newcomers also have to build structure and schedules: how to look after their body and deal with a massive playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the same everywhere. And I love that.”

Does being an Brit who never play in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a perceived hurdle than an real one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and loads of players call me ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the same things and need support in the same ways. If players understand you can help them, they don’t care where you’re from or how you speak. And when people realize that you care, all the rest fades.”

Benefits of Coming From Beyond the US System

Originating from beyond the American football world has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen asked me about the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and form friendships. Teammates are truly curious. NFL buildings are varied than many think. We have staff from all sorts of origins, a variety of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been better at attracting foreign fans than nurturing foreign players. Mailata, a former rugby league player from Australia who claimed the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have made it to the elite level.

Foreign Athletes and Their Paths

International athletes have typically been specialists, brought in from different sports. Howfield exchanged soccer for English clubs for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and did not trained in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s academy before discovering American football at Nottingham University, has made that step. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is just as improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the from Italy was obviously not built for his preferred games, soccer and handball, so took up American football in his late teens. He impressed while playing for teams in Austria and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was given a spot on the IPP in that year.

A year later, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have periods on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in each team but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is his status as a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” notes the player. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a really welcoming culture, a excellent squad, a top franchise.”

Although spending most of practice with his other linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his clubs. “Naturally the O-line is consistently very tight because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have friends from all positions. My best friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, actually – played receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just his home countries. “In my view every nation beyond the United States. The more successful each one of us does, the greater number of youth who play football in Italy, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of kids contacting me, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are welcomed to Florida annually to coach the next wave of potential NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us come back