The Players and Trainers Not Born in the USA
While the United States is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is largely led by American-born athletes. Only 5% of players are foreign-born, and the majority of them enter the sport by going to college in the United States. Genuine outsiders are unusual, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which makes James Cook’s story exceptional.
James Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League
Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible considering he grew up in Surrey, is in his twenties, and never played professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He began participating locally and soon wanted to become the first-ever NFL quarterback from Europe. He progressed to representing Great Britain, but his plans to go to college in the US proved too expensive.
“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys needed me, I would switch my shifts and help out. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they trained with players, I’d appear all over London and throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”
This is where he encountered Aden Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the IPP programme in 2017 with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Falcons, making history as the first UK full-time coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting guys,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I went to Australia to train aspiring athletes from around the Pacific to get them into the US college system, like what I had hoped to do.”
Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL
Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from working with foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns contacted me unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting younger players, optimizing efficiency on the practice field, working closely with physios, the head coach and GM. It’s a very hands-on role, which is ideal for me. My experience was working with international athletes who had never played the game. Rookie newcomers also have to establish habits and routines: how to look after their body and handle a huge game plan. But also just being available for guys. That’s the identical across the board. 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 actual one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style comments and many players call me ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the same things and require support in the same ways. If players understand you can help them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or how you speak. And when people know that you are invested, all the rest fades.”
Advantages of Coming From Outside the NFL Bubble
Originating from outside the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and build relationships. Teammates are truly curious. NFL buildings are more diverse than people think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a range of experiences. 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 international supporters than developing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the Super Bowl recently with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have risen to the very top.
International Athletes and Their Paths
Foreign players 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 Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby in England to the Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and did not trained in the American system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.
Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before finding the sport at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the Italian was obviously not suited for his preferred games, soccer and handball, so took up the NFL in his late teens. He stood out while playing for clubs in Austria and Germany, 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 subsequently had spells on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in each team but is hasn’t had action on the gridiron. Is being a foreigner still a challenge?
“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a really inclusive environment, a great squad, a great franchise.”
Despite spending the majority of training with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his clubs. “Obviously the offensive line is always very tight because we are a group and altogether one, but we have mates from all positions. My close friend, Landen Akers – my best man, in fact – played wide receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for two years at the LA Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”
Inspiring the Future
Pircher is aware he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say all the countries outside the US. The more successful every IPP graduate performs, 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 consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of kids contacting me, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to experience what I’ve achieved.”
The IPP graduates are all invited to the US annually to coach the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us return
