The Players and Coaches Not Born in the USA

Although the US is a country of immigrants, the NFL is still dominated by US-born players. Just 5% of participants are foreign-born, and the majority of them step into the game by attending university in the United States. True outsiders are rare, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which renders James Cook’s story exceptional.

James Cook’s Surprising Journey to the League

For the past six months, Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Browns organization. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible considering he grew up in England, is in his late 20s, and never played professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his father and came across what he called a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing locally and quickly wanted to become the first NFL quarterback born in Europe. He progressed to representing Team GB, but his plans to attend university in the US were financially prohibitive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys wanted me, I would adjust my schedule and help out. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d appear all over London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

It was here that he encountered Aden Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he set up the International Player Pathway programme in 2017 with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the coaching team at the Falcons, becoming the first British full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting guys,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from across the Pacific to get them into college football, similar to what I had hoped to do.”

Making the Leap to NFL Coaching

Similar to Durde before him, Cook made the jump from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland called unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, optimizing time on the practice field, collaborating with medical staff, the coach and general manager. It’s a really hands-on position, which is ideal for me. My background was working with players from abroad who had not played the sport. Rookie newcomers also have to build habits and routines: how to take care of their health and handle a huge playbook. But also just being present for players. That’s the same everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Englishman who never play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an real one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and loads of players call me ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the similar things and require support in the same ways. If players know you can assist them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or how you speak. And when players know that you care, all the rest fades.”

Benefits of Being Beyond the NFL Bubble

Originating from beyond the American football world has its advantages. “I spoke 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 enjoys it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are truly intrigued. NFL organizations are varied than people think. We have people from various backgrounds, a variety of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been better at attracting international supporters than nurturing foreign players. Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Australia who claimed the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have risen to the elite level.

International Athletes and Their Paths

International athletes have usually been kickers, brought in from different sports. Bobby Howfield exchanged soccer for English clubs for becoming a kicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in St Albans to the Falcons team. If you do not want to be a special teams player and were not educated in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s youth team 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.

Maximilian Pircher’s experience is just as improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the from Italy was clearly not built for his preferred games, soccer and handball, so took up the NFL in his teenage years. 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 2021.

A year later, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had spells on the fringes at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in each team but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is being a international player still a hurdle?

“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 inquire: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a very welcoming culture, a great squad, a great organization.”

Despite devoting the majority of training with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is always close-knit because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have friends from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my best man, actually – was a receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for a while at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, special teams: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is conscious he represents not only Italy and Austria. “In my view all the countries outside the US. The better every IPP graduate performs, the more young people who play football in Italy, in Germany, anywhere, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself every day, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many kids contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to encourage them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”

The IPP graduates are welcomed to the US annually to coach the new group of aspiring NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us come back