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While the US is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is largely led by US-born players. Only five percent of participants are foreign-born, and most of them step into the game by going to college in the United States. Genuine international figures are rare, and foreign coaches are particularly rare, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.

Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL

Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he was raised in England, is in his late 20s, and did not played pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he called a “weird and wonderful” game. He began participating locally and soon wanted to become the first NFL quarterback born in Europe. He progressed to playing for Team GB, but his dreams to attend college in the US were too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys wanted me, I would adjust my shifts and help out. As a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear all over London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

It was here that he met Aden Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he established the International Player Pathway programme in 2017 with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Falcons, making history as the first-ever UK permanent coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting guys,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to work with younger players from across the Pacific region to introduce them to college football, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to NFL Coaching

Like Durde before him, Cook made the jump from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “The Browns called out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting younger players, optimizing efficiency on the training ground, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and GM. It’s a really hands-on role, which is ideal for me. My experience was guiding players from abroad who had not played the game. First-year newcomers also have to establish habits and routines: learning to look after their health and handle a huge playbook. But also just being available for guys. That’s the identical across the board. And I love that.”

Does being an Englishman who never compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a perceived barrier than an real one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and many players call me ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and require support in the same ways. If players understand you can assist them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or how you speak. And when people know that you are invested, all the other stuff melts away.”

Benefits of Coming From Outside the NFL Bubble

Originating from outside the NFL bubble 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 rugby with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are more diverse than many think. We have staff from all sorts of backgrounds, a range of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing international supporters than nurturing global talent. Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Australia who claimed the championship earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the very top.

International Athletes and Their Journeys

International athletes have usually been kickers, recruited from different sports. Howfield exchanged playing up front for Watford and Fulham for being a kicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby in England to the Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and were not trained in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s academy before discovering the sport at university, has made that step. He played 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 improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his favoured sports, football and the sport, so started the NFL in his teenage years. He stood out while representing clubs in Europe and Europe, as well as the national side, 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 periods on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in each team but is hasn’t had game time 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 doesn’t really matter. Initially, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a very inclusive environment, a great team, a great franchise.”

Although spending most of training with his fellow linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his clubs. “Obviously the offensive line is always close-knit because we are a unit and united, but we have friends from all positions. My close friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, actually – was a wide receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for a while at the LA Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve have to be supportive.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is conscious he symbolizes not only Italy and Austria. “In my view all the countries beyond the US. The better every IPP graduate does, the more youth who participate in Europe, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many kids contacting me, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to experience what I’ve experienced.”

The program alumni are welcomed to Florida annually to train the new group of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us return