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Although the United States is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is largely led by American-born athletes. Only five percent of players are born abroad, and the majority of them step into the sport by going to college in the US. True international figures are unusual, and foreign coaches are particularly rare, which renders James Cook’s story remarkable.

Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL

Cook has been in charge of player development at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible given he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and never participated in professional sport. 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 aspired to become the first-ever NFL QB born in Europe. He got as far as representing Team GB, but his dreams to go to university in the US proved too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys wanted me, I would switch my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up around London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”

This is where he met Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he set up the IPP program in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Falcons, becoming the first British permanent coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable guys,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Down Under to train aspiring athletes from around the Pacific to get them into the US college system, like what I had hoped to do.”

Transitioning to NFL Coaching

Similar to Durde before him, Cook made the jump from working with foreign players to joining the NFL. “The Browns contacted me out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, maximising efficiency on the training ground, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and general manager. It’s a very hands-on role, which is perfect for me. My background was working with international athletes who had not played the sport. First-year newcomers also have to establish structure and routines: learning to take care of their health and deal with a huge playbook. But also just being available for guys. That’s the identical everywhere. And I love that.”

Is being an Brit who never play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a perceived hurdle than an actual one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and many players call me ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the same 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 players know that you care, all the rest melts away.”

Advantages of Coming From Outside the NFL Bubble

Originating from beyond the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and form friendships. People are truly intrigued. NFL organizations are more diverse than many think. We have people from all sorts of backgrounds, a range of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been better at producing foreign fans than developing foreign players. Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Sydney who won the championship recently with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have made it to the elite level.

International Athletes and Their Journeys

Foreign players have usually been specialists, brought in from other football codes. Bobby Howfield exchanged playing up front for Watford and Fulham for being a kicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a special teams player and did not educated in the US college system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.

Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s youth team before discovering American football at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the Italian was clearly not built for his preferred games, soccer and handball, so took up American football in his teenage years. He impressed while representing teams in Europe and Germany, as well as the national side, and was offered a spot on the IPP in that year.

The following year, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have spells on the periphery at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is yet to see game time on the field. Is his status as a international player still a hurdle?

“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a really welcoming culture, a great team, a top franchise.”

Despite spending the majority of practice with his other linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Naturally the O-line is always close-knit because we are a group and united, but we have friends from all positions. My close friend, Akers – my best man, actually – was a wide receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for two years at the Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve have to be supportive.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is conscious he represents more than just his home countries. “I would say all the countries outside the United States. The better each one of us does, the more young people who participate in Europe, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself every day, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to encourage them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”

The IPP graduates are all invited to the US annually to coach the next wave of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us return