The Players and Trainers Not Born in the USA

Although the United States is a nation of immigrants, the NFL is still dominated by US-born players. Only five percent of participants are foreign-born, and the majority of them step into the game by attending college in the United States. True international figures are unusual, and coaches from abroad are particularly scarce, which renders James Cook’s story exceptional.

Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL

Cook has been in control of player development at the Browns organization. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible considering he was raised in England, is in his twenties, and never participated in professional sport. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his dad and stumbled upon what he called a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing locally and quickly aspired to become the first NFL QB from Europe. He got as far as playing for Team GB, but his plans to attend college in the US were financially prohibitive.

“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people wanted me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear around London and throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

This is where he encountered Aden Durde, who had periods with the Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he established the IPP program in that year with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Falcons, making history as the first-ever UK full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable players,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from around the Pacific to introduce them to college football, like what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to NFL Coaching

Similar to Durde before him, Cook transitioned from working with foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, optimizing time on the training ground, working closely with physios, the head coach and GM. It’s a really hands-on position, which is ideal for me. My experience was guiding players from abroad who had never played the game. First-year rookies also have to build habits and routines: how to take care of their health and handle a huge playbook. But also just being present for players. That’s the same across the board. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Englishman 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 jokes and loads of players call me ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the similar things and need help in the same ways. If players understand you can assist them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or how you speak. And when people know that you are invested, all the other stuff fades.”

Advantages of Coming From Outside the NFL Bubble

Originating from outside the American football world has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we left, one of our linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than people think. We have people from all sorts of origins, a variety of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing foreign fans than developing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Australia who won the championship recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have risen to the elite level.

Foreign Players and Their Paths

International athletes have typically been specialists, brought in from different sports. Bobby Howfield exchanged playing up front for Watford and Fulham for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in England to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not educated in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s academy before finding the sport at Nottingham University, has made that step. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At over two meters and 23 stone, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his preferred games, soccer and the sport, so started American football in his teenage years. He stood out while playing for clubs in Austria and Europe, as well as the national side, and was given a place on the IPP in 2021.

A year later, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the Rams training team. Pircher went on to have spells on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, 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 action on the field. Is his status as a foreigner still a challenge?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” 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 clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a really welcoming culture, a great team, a great organization.”

Although devoting most of practice with his fellow linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a unit and united, but we have mates from every position group. My close friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – played wide receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for a while at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve have to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he symbolizes not only his home countries. “I would say every nation outside the US. The better every IPP graduate performs, the more youth who play football in Italy, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself every day, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many youngsters hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are all invited to the US each year to train the next wave of potential NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us return