The Athletes and Coaches Born Outside in the USA
While the US is a nation of newcomers, the NFL is largely dominated by US-born athletes. Just 5% of participants are foreign-born, and most of them step into the sport by going to college in the United States. Genuine outsiders are rare, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which renders James Cook’s story remarkable.
James Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League
Cook has been in charge of player development at the Browns organization. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and did not participated in professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “weird and wonderful” game. He started playing in his area and soon aspired to become the first NFL quarterback from Europe. He got as far as playing for Team GB, but his plans to attend university in the US proved financially prohibitive.
“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys wanted me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d appear around London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”
This is where he encountered Aden Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he set up the IPP program in 2017 with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Falcons, making history as the first-ever British full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable guys,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to train younger players from around the Pacific to introduce them to the US college system, like 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. “Cleveland called unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting younger players, maximising efficiency on the practice field, collaborating with medical staff, the head coach and general manager. It’s a very hands-on position, which is perfect for me. My experience was guiding players from abroad who had never played the game. Rookie newcomers also have to establish habits and schedules: how to look after their body and deal with a massive game plan. But also just being present for players. That’s the identical across the board. And I enjoy that.”
Is being an Englishman who did not compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a perceived barrier than an real one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style comments and loads of players call me ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the similar things and need support in the same ways. If players understand you can assist them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or how you speak. And when players realize that you care, all the other stuff fades.”
Benefits of Being Outside the NFL Bubble
Coming from outside the American football world has its advantages. “I addressed in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. Teammates are truly curious. NFL buildings are varied than people think. We have people from all sorts of backgrounds, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”
The NFL has been more successful at producing international supporters than nurturing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Australia who claimed the Super Bowl recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have made it to the very top.
Foreign Athletes and Their Journeys
International athletes have typically been specialists, recruited from different sports. Bobby Howfield exchanged playing up front for English clubs for becoming a kicker for the Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in England to the Falcons team. If you do not want to be a kicker and did not educated in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.
Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before discovering American football at university, has achieved that. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pircher’s story is just as improbable. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was obviously not suited for his preferred games, football and the sport, so started the NFL in his late teens. He stood out while representing clubs in Europe and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a spot on the IPP in 2021.
A year later, he held the championship trophy as a member of the Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had spells on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in each team but is hasn’t had action on the field. Is his status as a foreigner still a challenge?
“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a really inclusive environment, a excellent squad, a top organization.”
Although devoting the majority of practice with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a unit and united, but we have mates from every position group. My best friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, actually – played receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for a while at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve have to be there for each other.”
Inspiring the Future
Pircher is conscious he symbolizes more than just his home countries. “I would say every nation beyond the United States. The more successful each one of us performs, the more young people who participate in Italy, in Europe, anywhere, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in every day, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s nice to encourage them to experience what I’ve achieved.”
The program alumni are welcomed to the US annually to train the new group of aspiring NFL internationals. “Almost all of us come back
