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While the US is a nation of immigrants, the NFL is largely dominated by US-born players. Only five percent of participants are foreign-born, and the majority of them enter the sport by attending college in the United States. True outsiders are rare, and foreign coaches are particularly rare, which makes James Cook’s journey remarkable.

James Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL

For the past six months, Cook has been in charge of player development at the Browns organization. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and did not played pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his father and stumbled upon what he called a “strange and amazing” game. He began participating locally and quickly aspired to become the first-ever NFL QB from Europe. He progressed to playing for Team GB, but his plans to go to college in the US were too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys needed me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they trained with players, I’d show up around London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

This is where he encountered Aden Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he set up the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first-ever UK full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable players,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to train younger players from around the Pacific to get them into college football, like what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to Durde before him, Cook made the jump from training foreign players to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting rookies, maximising time on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and general manager. It’s a really hands-on role, which is ideal for me. My background was guiding players from abroad who had never played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to establish habits and routines: learning to look after their health and handle a massive game plan. But also just being available for guys. That’s the same everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Brit who never compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a perceived hurdle than an real one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and many players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they love 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 support in the identical ways. If players know you can help them, they don’t care about your origin or how you speak. And when players realize that you care, all the other stuff fades.”

Advantages of Being Outside the US System

Originating from beyond the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are more diverse than people think. We have staff from various origins, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been more successful at attracting foreign fans than developing foreign players. Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Sydney who won the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have risen to the elite level.

Foreign Players and Their Paths

International athletes have usually been kickers, recruited from other football codes. Bobby Howfield exchanged playing up front for English clubs for being a kicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in England to the Falcons team. If you do not want to be a special teams player and did not educated in the American system, it’s very challenging 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 Nottingham University, has achieved that. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is just as unlikely. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his favoured sports, football and handball, so started American football in his teenage years. He stood out while representing teams in Europe and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a place on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he had his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had periods on the fringes at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in each team but is hasn’t had action on the field. Is being a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” says the player. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. Initially, they ask: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a very inclusive environment, a excellent squad, a top franchise.”

Although spending the majority of practice with his fellow linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his teams. “Naturally the offensive line is always very tight because we are a unit and united, but we have friends from all positions. My best friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a wide receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for a while at the LA Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is conscious he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “In my view all the countries beyond the US. The more successful every IPP graduate performs, the more young people who play football in Europe, in Europe, wherever, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The IPP graduates are all invited to the US annually to coach the next wave of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us come back