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Although the US is a country of newcomers, the NFL is still led by American-born players. Only 5% of participants are born abroad, and the majority of them step into the game by going to university in the US. True outsiders are unusual, and coaches from abroad are especially scarce, which renders James Cook’s journey remarkable.

James Cook’s Surprising Path to the League

Cook has been in control of player development at the Browns organization. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he grew up in England, is in his twenties, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he called a “weird and wonderful” game. He began participating locally and soon aspired to become the first NFL quarterback from Europe. He got as far as playing for Great Britain, but his plans to go to college in the US proved financially prohibitive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people needed me, I would adjust my schedule and assist. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. 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 usually buy me lunch.”

It was here that he met Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he established the International Player Pathway programme in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the coaching team 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, coaching some remarkable guys,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to work with aspiring athletes from around the Pacific to get them into college football, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from training foreign players to joining the NFL. “Cleveland called out of the blue,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, maximising efficiency on the training ground, working closely with medical staff, the coach and GM. It’s a really active role, which is ideal for me. My experience was working with players from abroad who had never played the sport. First-year rookies also have to build habits and schedules: how to take care of their body and handle a huge playbook. But also just being present for guys. That’s the identical everywhere. And I love that.”

Does being an Englishman who never compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a perceived barrier than an real one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style comments and many players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the similar things and require support in the identical ways. If players understand you can help them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or how you speak. And when people realize that you care, all the rest melts away.”

Benefits of Being Beyond the US System

Coming from beyond the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and form friendships. Teammates are genuinely curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than many think. We have people from various backgrounds, a range of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at attracting foreign fans than developing foreign players. Mailata, a former rugby league player from Australia who won the championship earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have risen to the elite level.

International Players and Their Paths

International athletes have usually been kickers, recruited from other football codes. Howfield exchanged soccer for English clubs for being a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and did not trained in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.

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

Maximilian Pircher’s experience is equally improbable. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his favoured sports, football and the sport, so took up the NFL in his late teens. He stood out while playing for clubs in Europe and Europe, as well as the national side, and was offered a place on the IPP in 2021.

A year later, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had spells on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in each team but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is his status as a international player still a challenge?

“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they ask: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a very inclusive culture, a excellent team, a great organization.”

Despite devoting the majority of practice with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his teams. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently close-knit because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have mates from all positions. My best friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, actually – was a receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he represents not only his home countries. “In my view all the countries outside the US. The more successful every IPP graduate performs, the greater number of young people who play football in Europe, in Germany, anywhere, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many kids hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to inspire 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. “Almost all of us come back