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While the United States is a nation of newcomers, the NFL is still led by US-born athletes. Just five percent of participants are born abroad, and most of them step into the game by going to college in the US. True outsiders are rare, and coaches from abroad are particularly rare, which renders James Cook’s journey remarkable.

James Cook’s Surprising Path to the NFL

For the past six months, Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he grew up in Surrey, is in his twenties, and never played pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his dad and came across what he described as a “strange and amazing” game. He started playing locally and soon aspired to become the first-ever NFL quarterback born in Europe. He got as far as playing for Great Britain, but his dreams to attend college in the US were financially prohibitive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people needed me, I would adjust my schedule and assist. 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 throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”

This is where he met Aden 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 staff at the Falcons, becoming the first-ever UK full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable players,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to train aspiring athletes from around the Pacific region to introduce them to college football, like what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to NFL Coaching

Similar to Durde before him, Cook made the jump from training international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting younger players, maximising efficiency on the training ground, working closely with medical staff, the coach and GM. It’s a very active role, which is perfect for me. My background was working with international athletes who had never played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to build habits and schedules: learning to take care of their health and deal with a massive playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the identical across the board. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Brit who never play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a perceived hurdle than an actual one,” states 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 checking myself. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the same things and need help in the same ways. If players know you can help them, they don’t care about your origin or what accent. And when people realize that you are invested, all the rest melts away.”

Advantages of Coming From Outside the NFL Bubble

Coming from beyond the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen asked me about rugby with me as he loves it. You make those connections and form friendships. People are truly curious. NFL buildings are varied than people think. We have staff from all sorts of origins, a range of upbringings. 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 more successful at attracting international supporters than developing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Sydney who won the Super Bowl recently with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have made it to the elite level.

International Athletes and Their Paths

International athletes have typically been kickers, brought in from different sports. Bobby Howfield exchanged playing up front for Watford and Fulham for being a placekicker for the Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not educated in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.

Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s academy before finding the sport at university, has made that step. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s experience is equally unlikely. At over two meters and heavyweight, the Italian was obviously not built for his preferred games, football and the sport, so started the NFL in his teenage years. He impressed while representing clubs in Austria and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was given a place on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he held the championship trophy as a member of the Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had periods on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in every locker room but is yet to see game time on the field. Is being a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they ask: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a very welcoming culture, a great team, a top franchise.”

Although devoting most of training with his fellow linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Obviously the O-line is consistently very tight because we are a group and united, but we have friends from every position group. My close friend, Landen Akers – my best man, in fact – played receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. QBs, defenders, specialists: we’ve have to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just Italy and Austria. “In my view all the countries beyond the United States. The more successful every IPP graduate does, the greater number of young people who participate in Europe, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself every day, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to experience what I’ve experienced.”

The program alumni are all invited to Florida each year to coach the next wave of potential NFL internationals. “Almost all of us return