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Although the United States is a country of newcomers, the National Football League is still led by American-born players. Just 5% of participants are foreign-born, and most of them step into the game by going to university in the United States. Genuine outsiders are rare, and coaches from abroad are particularly scarce, which renders James Cook’s story remarkable.

Cook’s Unlikely 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 extraordinary given he grew up in England, is in his late 20s, and never participated in pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his father and came across what he described as a “weird and wonderful” game. He began participating in his area and soon aspired to become the first NFL quarterback from Europe. He got as far as representing Team GB, but his dreams to go to college in the US were too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people wanted me, I would switch my schedule and assist. As a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up all over London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often buy me lunch.”

This is where he met Aden Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he set up the IPP program in that year with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Falcons, becoming the first-ever British permanent coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting guys,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from across the Pacific to get them into college football, like what I had hoped to do.”

Transitioning to NFL Coaching

Like his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland called unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting rookies, optimizing time on the practice field, collaborating with medical staff, the coach and GM. It’s a very hands-on role, which is perfect for me. My experience was guiding players from abroad who had not played the game. First-year rookies also have to build habits and routines: how to take care of their health and deal with a huge playbook. But also just being available for guys. That’s the same across the board. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Brit who did not play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a perceived hurdle than an real one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style comments 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 assist them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or what accent. And when people know that you are invested, all the rest melts away.”

Benefits of Being Beyond the US System

Originating from outside the American football world has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are genuinely curious. NFL buildings are more diverse than people think. We have staff from all sorts of origins, a variety of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been better at attracting international supporters than nurturing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Australia who claimed the championship recently with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have risen to the very top.

International Players and Their Journeys

Foreign players have typically been kickers, recruited from other football codes. Bobby Howfield exchanged playing up front for Watford and Fulham for being a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in England to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a kicker and did not educated in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before discovering the sport at university, has achieved that. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s story is just as improbable. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his preferred games, soccer and the sport, so took up American football in his teenage years. He impressed while playing for clubs in Austria and Europe, as well as the national side, and was given a spot on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he held the championship trophy as a member of the Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have spells on the fringes at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in each team but is yet to see game time on the gridiron. Is being a international player still a challenge?

“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. Initially, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a really inclusive environment, a excellent squad, a great franchise.”

Despite spending most of training with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is always very tight because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have friends from all positions. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, actually – played receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve have to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just his home countries. “I would say every nation beyond the US. The better each one of us performs, the more youth who participate in Italy, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in every day, 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 experienced.”

The program alumni are all invited to Florida annually to train the next wave of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us return