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While the US is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is still led by American-born players. Only 5% of players are foreign-born, and the majority of them enter the game by going to university in the United States. True outsiders are unusual, and foreign coaches are particularly scarce, which renders James Cook’s story remarkable.

Cook’s Unlikely Path to the League

Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Browns organization. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible considering he grew up in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and never played pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “weird and wonderful” game. He began participating in his area and soon wanted to become the first-ever NFL QB born in Europe. He got as far as representing Great Britain, but his plans to go to university in the US proved too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people needed me, I would adjust my schedule and assist. As a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could throw. So when they trained with players, I’d show up around London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often buy me lunch.”

It was here that he met Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he set up the IPP program in 2017 with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first British permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable players,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to work with younger players from around the Pacific to get them into college football, like what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to NFL Coaching

Like his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a hybrid role supporting rookies, optimizing time on the training ground, working closely with physios, the head coach and GM. It’s a very active position, which is ideal for me. My experience 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 body and deal with a huge game plan. But also just being available for players. That’s the same across the board. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Brit who never play in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a perceived hurdle than an real one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and many players call me ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and require help in the same ways. If players understand you can help them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or what accent. And when players know that you care, all the rest fades.”

Advantages of Coming From Outside the NFL Bubble

Coming from beyond the American football world has its advantages. “I addressed in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and build relationships. People are genuinely curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than many think. We have people from various backgrounds, a variety of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing international supporters than developing global talent. Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Australia who claimed the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have made it to the very top.

International Athletes and Their Journeys

Foreign players have usually been kickers, recruited from other football codes. Bobby Howfield swapped playing up front for English clubs for being a placekicker for the Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in England to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not trained in the US college system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a native of London 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 taking his talents to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s story is just as improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the from Italy was obviously not built for his preferred games, football and handball, so took up American football in his teenage years. He stood out while playing for teams in Europe and Europe, as well as the national side, and was offered a place on the IPP in that year.

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

“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the player. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a very welcoming environment, a excellent team, a top franchise.”

Despite devoting most of practice with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is consistently close-knit because we are a group and united, but we have friends from all positions. My best friend, Akers – my best man, actually – played wide receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for a while at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, special teams: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Motivating the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just Italy and Austria. “In my view all the countries outside the US. The more successful every IPP graduate does, the more young people who play football in Italy, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of kids hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s nice to encourage them to experience what I’ve achieved.”

The IPP graduates are all invited to Florida each year to train the new group of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us come back