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Although the US is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is still dominated by American-born athletes. Just five percent of participants are foreign-born, and most of them enter the game by attending university in the US. True international figures are unusual, and coaches from abroad are particularly scarce, which renders James Cook’s story remarkable.

Cook’s Surprising Journey to the NFL

Cook has been in control of player development at the Browns organization. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible given he grew up in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his dad and came across what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing locally and quickly wanted to become the first NFL quarterback born in Europe. He progressed to representing Team GB, but his plans to attend college in the US were too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people needed me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear around London and toss 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 Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he set up the International Player Pathway program in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of 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, working with some remarkable players,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from around the Pacific to get them into college football, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Like his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from working with foreign players to joining the NFL. “Cleveland called unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting rookies, maximising time on the practice field, collaborating with medical staff, the coach and GM. It’s a really hands-on role, which is perfect for me. My experience was working with players from abroad who had not played the game. Rookie rookies also have to build habits and routines: how to look after their body and deal with a huge playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the same everywhere. And I love that.”

Does being an Brit who did not play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an actual one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and loads of players call me ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the similar things and need help in the identical 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 other stuff melts away.”

Benefits of Being Outside the US System

Coming from outside the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and form friendships. People are truly intrigued. NFL buildings are varied than people think. We have people from all sorts of backgrounds, a range of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at attracting international supporters than nurturing global talent. Mailata, a former rugby player from Sydney who won the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have risen to the elite level.

International Athletes and Their Paths

International athletes have usually been kickers, brought in from other football codes. Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for becoming a kicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in England to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a special teams player and were not educated in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s academy before discovering American football at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He competed in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s experience is equally improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the Italian was clearly not suited for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so took up American football in his late teens. He impressed while playing for clubs in Austria and Europe, 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 Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have spells on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in each team but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is being a foreigner still a challenge?

“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the player. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. Initially, they ask: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a really inclusive culture, a great team, a great franchise.”

Despite spending most of training with his fellow linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his teams. “Naturally the O-line is consistently close-knit because we are a group and altogether one, but we have mates from all positions. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – played wide receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for two years at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve have to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Future

Pircher is aware he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “In my view every nation outside the United States. The better every IPP graduate does, the greater number of young people who participate in Europe, in Europe, anywhere, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of kids contacting me, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The IPP graduates are all invited to the US each year to coach the new group of potential NFL internationals. “Almost all of us come back