The Players and Trainers Not Born in the United States
Although the United States is a country of newcomers, the National Football League is largely dominated by US-born athletes. Just 5% of players are foreign-born, and most of them step into the sport by attending college in the United States. True international figures are rare, and coaches from abroad are especially scarce, which renders James Cook’s journey remarkable.
James Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL
Cook has been in charge of player development 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 did not played professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his father and came across what he described as a “strange and amazing” game. He began participating in his area and soon aspired to become the first NFL quarterback from Europe. He progressed to representing Great Britain, but his plans to go to university in the US were too expensive.
“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people needed me, I would adjust my shifts and help out. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they trained with players, I’d appear all over London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”
It was here that he met Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he established the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the coaching team at the Falcons, making history as the first British permanent coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting 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 New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to train younger players from across the Pacific region to get them into the US college system, like what I had hoped to do.”
Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL
Similar to Durde before him, Cook made the jump from working with international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns called unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting rookies, maximising time on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the coach and GM. It’s a really hands-on position, which is ideal for me. My experience was working with players from abroad who had not played the game. Rookie newcomers also have to build structure and schedules: how to take care of their health and handle a massive game plan. But also just being available for guys. That’s the same everywhere. And I enjoy that.”
Does being an Englishman who never compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a perceived barrier than an actual one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and many players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the similar things and need help in the identical ways. If players know you can help them, they don’t care where you’re from or how you speak. And when players know that you care, all the rest fades.”
Benefits of Being Outside the NFL Bubble
Originating from beyond the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I addressed in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen asked me about the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and form friendships. Teammates are genuinely curious. NFL buildings are varied than people think. We have staff from various origins, a range of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”
The NFL has been better at producing international supporters than nurturing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Australia who claimed the Super Bowl recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have risen to the elite level.
Foreign Players and Their Journeys
International athletes have typically been specialists, recruited from different sports. Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for being a kicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in England to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a kicker and were not trained in the US college system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.
Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s academy before discovering American football at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the from Italy was obviously not built for his preferred games, football and the sport, so took up American football in his teenage years. He impressed while representing clubs in Austria and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was given a spot on the IPP in that year.
A year later, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had spells on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is hasn’t had action on the gridiron. Is his status as a foreigner still a challenge?
“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they ask: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a very welcoming culture, a excellent squad, a great organization.”
Although devoting the majority of practice with his fellow linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in 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 close friend, Akers – my best man, in fact – played wide receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Packers, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. QBs, defenders, special teams: we’ve have to be supportive.”
Motivating the Next Generation
Pircher is aware he represents more than just his home countries. “In my view all the countries beyond the US. The better each one of us does, the greater number of youth who play football in Europe, in Europe, wherever, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of kids contacting me, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to experience what I’ve experienced.”
The IPP graduates are welcomed to the US each year to coach the new group of potential NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us return