The Athletes and Coaches Not Born in the United States

While the US is a country of newcomers, the National Football League is still led by US-born athletes. Only five percent of participants are foreign-born, and most of them enter the game by going to college in the United States. Genuine outsiders are rare, and foreign coaches are especially rare, which renders James Cook’s story remarkable.

Cook’s Surprising Journey to the League

Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he was raised in England, is in his late 20s, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his father and came across what he described as a “strange and amazing” game. He began participating locally and quickly aspired to become the first NFL quarterback from Europe. He got as far as playing for Great Britain, but his dreams to go to university in the US were too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people wanted me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. As a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up 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 Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the IPP programme in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first UK 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 recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to train younger players from across the Pacific region to introduce them to college football, similar to what I had hoped to do.”

Transitioning to NFL Coaching

Similar to Durde before him, Cook transitioned from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland called unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting younger players, maximising efficiency on the training ground, working closely with physios, the coach and general manager. It’s a very hands-on position, which is perfect for me. My background was guiding international athletes who had not played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to build structure and schedules: learning to look after their health and handle a huge game plan. But also just being present for guys. That’s the identical everywhere. And I love that.”

Is being an Brit who never play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a perceived hurdle than an real one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and loads of players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the same things and need help in the identical ways. If players understand you can help them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or how you speak. And when players realize that you care, all the rest melts away.”

Benefits of Coming From Outside the US System

Coming from beyond the NFL bubble 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 build relationships. People are genuinely curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than many think. We have people from various origins, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing foreign fans than nurturing foreign players. Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the championship earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have made it to the very top.

Foreign Athletes and Their Paths

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

Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before discovering American football at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s experience is equally improbable. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his preferred games, soccer and the sport, so started the NFL in his teenage years. He stood out while representing teams in Europe and Germany, as well as the national side, and was given a spot on the IPP in 2021.

A year later, he had his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had periods on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in every locker room but is hasn’t had action on the gridiron. Is being a foreigner still a challenge?

“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” says the player. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they ask: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a really inclusive culture, a great team, a great organization.”

Despite devoting the majority of practice with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his clubs. “Naturally the O-line is consistently very tight because we are a unit and united, but we have mates from all positions. My best friend, Akers – my best man, in fact – played wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for a while at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, specialists: we’ve have to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Future

Pircher is aware he represents not only his home countries. “In my view all the countries outside the United States. The better every IPP graduate does, the greater number of young people who play football in Italy, in Germany, wherever, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a many youngsters contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to encourage them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are welcomed to the US each year to coach the next wave of potential NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us return