These Players and Trainers Born Outside in the United States
Although the US is a nation of immigrants, the National Football League is still dominated by American-born players. Only five percent of participants are born abroad, and the majority of them step into the sport by going to university in the United States. Genuine outsiders are unusual, and foreign coaches are particularly scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.
James Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL
Cook has been in charge of player development at the Browns organization. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he grew up in England, is in his twenties, and never played pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing locally and quickly wanted to become the first-ever NFL QB from Europe. He progressed to representing Team GB, but his plans to attend university in the US proved financially prohibitive.
“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people needed me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. As 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 throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”
It was here that he encountered Aden Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he established the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first-ever UK full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting guys,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Australia to work with aspiring athletes from around the Pacific region to introduce them to college football, like what I wanted to do.”
Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL
Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from working with international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting younger players, optimizing time on the training ground, collaborating with physios, the head coach and GM. It’s a very hands-on role, which is ideal for me. My background was working with international athletes who had not played the game. Rookie rookies also have to establish structure and routines: how to look after their health and deal with a massive playbook. But also just being available for guys. That’s the identical across the board. And I love that.”
Does being an Englishman who never play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a imagined hurdle than an actual one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and many players call me ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the same things and need support in the same ways. If players understand you can help them, they don’t care about your origin or how you speak. And when people know that you are invested, all the rest melts away.”
Benefits of Coming From Beyond the US System
Coming 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 offensive linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and build relationships. Teammates are truly curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than many think. We have people from various backgrounds, a range of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”
The NFL has been more successful at attracting foreign fans than developing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby player from Sydney who won the championship earlier this year with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have risen to the elite level.
Foreign Players and Their Paths
Foreign players have usually been kickers, brought in from other football codes. Bobby Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for becoming a placekicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a kicker and were not trained in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.
Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before finding American football at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He played in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At over two meters and 23 stone, the from Italy was obviously not built for his preferred games, football and the sport, so started American football in his late teens. He stood out while playing for clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a place on the IPP in 2021.
A year later, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have periods on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in every locker room but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is his status as a foreigner still a challenge?
“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a very inclusive environment, a great squad, a top organization.”
Despite spending the majority of training with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his clubs. “Obviously the offensive line is always close-knit because we are a group and altogether one, but we have friends from every position group. My close friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for two years at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve have to be supportive.”
Motivating the Future
Pircher is conscious he symbolizes not only his home countries. “In my view all the countries beyond the United States. The more successful each one of us does, the greater number of young people who participate in Italy, in Europe, wherever, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many youngsters contacting me, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to experience what I’ve experienced.”
The program alumni are all invited to the US each year to train the new group of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us come back
