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Although the United States is a nation of newcomers, the NFL is largely dominated by American-born athletes. Just five percent of participants are born abroad, and the majority of them enter the sport by going to college in the US. Genuine international figures are rare, and foreign coaches are especially rare, which makes James Cook’s story exceptional.

Cook’s Surprising Journey to the NFL

For the past six months, Cook has been in control of player development at the Browns organization. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he was raised in England, is in his late 20s, and never participated in pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his dad and came across what he called a “strange and amazing” game. He began participating in his area and quickly wanted to become the first NFL QB born in Europe. He progressed to playing for Team GB, but his plans to go to university in the US proved too expensive.

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

It was here that he met Aden Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the IPP programme in that year with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Falcons, becoming the first UK permanent coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable guys,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to work with aspiring athletes from across the Pacific to introduce them to college football, similar to what I had hoped to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Like Durde before him, Cook made the jump from training international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns called unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting younger players, optimizing time on the training ground, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and general manager. It’s a very active role, which is ideal for me. My experience was guiding international athletes who had not played the game. First-year newcomers also have to establish structure and routines: learning to take care of their body and handle a huge playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the identical across the board. And I love that.”

Is being an Englishman who did not play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a imagined hurdle than an real one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and loads of players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the same things and need support in the identical ways. If players understand you can assist them, they don’t care where you’re from or what accent. And when players know that you care, all the rest melts away.”

Benefits of Coming From Outside the NFL Bubble

Coming from outside the American football world has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the whole squad 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 form friendships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than many think. We have people from various backgrounds, a range of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so lean into it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been better at attracting international supporters than developing global talent. Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Australia who claimed the championship recently with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have risen to the elite level.

Foreign Athletes and Their Paths

International athletes have usually been kickers, brought in from different sports. Bobby Howfield swapped soccer for English clubs for being a kicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in England to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a special teams player and did not educated in the US college system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.

Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding the sport at Nottingham University, has made that step. He competed in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so started American football in his late teens. He stood out while playing for clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the national side, and was given a spot on the IPP in 2021.

A year later, he held the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have spells on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is yet to see action on the field. Is his status as a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” says the player. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a very welcoming culture, a excellent squad, a great franchise.”

Although spending most of training with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his clubs. “Obviously the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a group and altogether one, but we have mates from all positions. My best friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, actually – was a wide receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Packers, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the LA Rams. QBs, defenders, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is conscious he represents not only Italy and Austria. “In my view every nation outside the United States. The better each one of us performs, the greater number of young people who play football in Italy, in Europe, wherever, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in every day, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many youngsters contacting me, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are welcomed to the US each year to train the new group of aspiring NFL internationals. “Almost all of us come back