These Players and Coaches Born Outside in the United States
While the US is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is largely dominated by American-born athletes. Just five percent of participants are foreign-born, and most of them step into the sport by going to university in the United States. True outsiders are rare, and coaches from abroad are especially scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey remarkable.
Cook’s Surprising Path to the NFL
For the past six months, Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Browns organization. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he grew up in England, is in his late 20s, and never played professional sport. 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 in his area and soon wanted to become the first NFL quarterback born in Europe. He progressed to representing Great Britain, but his dreams to go to university in the US proved too expensive.
“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people wanted me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up around London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”
This is where he encountered Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he established the International Player Pathway programme in 2017 with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Falcons, becoming the first British permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable players,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I went to Down Under to train aspiring athletes from across the Pacific to introduce them to college football, like what I wanted to do.”
Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL
Like Durde before him, Cook made the jump from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting younger players, maximising time on the training ground, collaborating with medical staff, the head coach and GM. It’s a really hands-on position, which is ideal for me. My background was guiding players from abroad who had never played the sport. Rookie newcomers also have to establish habits and routines: how to take care of their body and handle a huge playbook. But also just being available for guys. That’s the identical across the board. And I enjoy that.”
Is being an Brit who did not play in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a perceived barrier than an real one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and loads of players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the same things and require support in the same ways. If players know you can assist them, they don’t care where you’re from or how you speak. And when players know that you care, all the other stuff fades.”
Advantages of Coming From Beyond the NFL Bubble
Coming from outside 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 wanted to talk the sport with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and form friendships. Teammates are truly intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than people think. We have staff from all sorts of backgrounds, a range of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”
The NFL has been better at attracting international supporters than developing global talent. Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the Super Bowl recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the very top.
Foreign Athletes and Their Journeys
Foreign players have usually been kickers, brought in from different sports. Bobby Howfield exchanged playing up front for Watford and Fulham for becoming a kicker for the Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and did not educated in the American system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.
Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding the sport at university, has made that step. He played in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pircher’s story is just as unlikely. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his preferred games, football and handball, so started American football in his late teens. He impressed while representing clubs in Austria and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was given a spot on the IPP in that year.
The following year, he held the championship trophy as a part of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have spells on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in each team but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is being a foreigner still a hurdle?
“It isn’t 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, after we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a really inclusive culture, a great team, a great franchise.”
Although spending most of practice with his other linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his clubs. “Naturally the offensive line is always very tight because we are a group and altogether one, but we have mates from all positions. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – played receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve got to be there for each other.”
Motivating the Future
Pircher is conscious he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “In my view all the countries beyond the US. The better every IPP graduate performs, the more youth who play football in Italy, in Europe, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a many youngsters hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s nice to encourage them to experience what I’ve experienced.”
The program alumni are all invited to the US each year to train the next wave of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us come back
