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Although the US is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is still dominated by US-born players. Just five percent of players are foreign-born, and most of them step into the sport by attending college in the US. True outsiders are unusual, and coaches from abroad are especially scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey remarkable.

James Cook’s Surprising Path to the League

For the past six months, Cook has been in control of player development at the Browns organization. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible considering he was raised in England, is in his late 20s, and did not played pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He began participating locally and quickly aspired to become the first-ever NFL QB from Europe. He got as far as representing 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. Whenever the NFL people needed me, I would adjust my shifts and help out. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up all over London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often buy me lunch.”

This is where he met Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he established the IPP programme in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Falcons, becoming the first-ever UK full-time coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable guys,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to work with younger players from around the Pacific to get them into the US college system, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from working with international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, optimizing time on the practice field, collaborating with physios, the head coach and GM. It’s a very active position, 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 structure and schedules: learning to take care of their health and handle a huge playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the identical across the board. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Englishman who did not play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a perceived hurdle than an actual one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style jokes and loads of players call me ‘bruv’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and require support in the identical ways. If players know you can assist them, they don’t care about your origin or what accent. And when people know that you are invested, all the rest melts away.”

Benefits of Being Outside the US System

Coming from beyond the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen asked me about the sport with me as he enjoys 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 upbringings. Our mantra 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 foreign fans than developing foreign players. Mailata, a former rugby player from Sydney who claimed the championship recently with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have made it to the elite level.

Foreign Players and Their Journeys

International athletes have typically been specialists, recruited from different sports. Bobby Howfield exchanged playing up front for English clubs for being a kicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you do not want to be a kicker and were not educated in the US college 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 finding American football at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He competed in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the from Italy was obviously not built for his favoured sports, football and handball, so took up American football in his teenage years. He impressed while playing for teams in Europe and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a place on the IPP in that year.

The following year, he had his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have periods on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in every locker room but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is his status as a international player still a challenge?

“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. Initially, they ask: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a really inclusive environment, a great team, a great organization.”

Although devoting most of training with his other linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his teams. “Naturally the offensive line is always very tight because we are a group and altogether one, but we have mates from every position group. My close friend, Akers – my best man, in fact – played receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is conscious he symbolizes not only his home countries. “I would say all the countries beyond the US. The more successful every IPP graduate does, the greater number of young people who play football in Europe, in Europe, wherever, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids contacting me, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The IPP graduates are welcomed to Florida each year to coach the new group of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us return