These Players and Trainers Not Born in the United States

While the United States is a nation of immigrants, the NFL is largely dominated by US-born players. Just 5% of participants are born abroad, and most of them enter the game by going to college in the United States. Genuine international figures are unusual, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey remarkable.

James Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League

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 late 20s, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his father and stumbled upon what he described as a “strange and amazing” game. He began participating locally and soon wanted to become the first NFL QB born in Europe. He progressed to playing for Team GB, but his dreams to go to college in the US proved too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people wanted me, I would switch my shifts and assist. As a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear all over London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”

This is where he encountered Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he set up the International Player Pathway program in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first-ever British permanent coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting guys,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to train younger players from around the Pacific region to get them into college football, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “The Browns called unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a hybrid role supporting rookies, maximising time on the practice field, collaborating with physios, the head coach and general manager. It’s a very active position, which is ideal for me. My background was guiding international athletes who had never played the sport. Rookie newcomers also have to establish habits and routines: how to look after their health and handle a massive playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the same everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Englishman who never play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a perceived barrier than an real one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and loads of players call me ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the similar things and need help in the same ways. If players know you can assist them, they don’t care about your origin or what accent. And when people realize that you care, all the rest fades.”

Advantages of Being Beyond the US System

Coming from beyond the American football world has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our linemen asked me about the sport with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and form friendships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than people think. We have people from all sorts of origins, a range of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at attracting international supporters than nurturing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have made it to the very top.

Foreign Athletes and Their Journeys

Foreign players have typically been kickers, recruited from different sports. Howfield swapped soccer for Watford and Fulham for being a kicker for the Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and did not trained in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding American football at university, has achieved that. He competed in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is just as unlikely. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not built for his favoured sports, football and the sport, so started the NFL in his teenage years. He stood out while representing teams in Europe and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was given a place on the IPP in 2021.

A year later, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have spells on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in each team but is yet to see game time on the gridiron. Is his status as a international player still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they ask: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a very inclusive culture, a excellent team, a great organization.”

Although devoting most of practice with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his clubs. “Obviously the O-line is always close-knit because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have mates from all positions. My close friend, Akers – my best man, in fact – was a receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for a while at the Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Future

Pircher is aware he represents not only his home countries. “In my view every nation outside the US. The better every IPP graduate does, the greater number of young people who participate in Italy, in Germany, wherever, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in every day, 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 achieved.”

The IPP graduates are welcomed to the US each year to train the new group of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us return