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Although the US is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is largely led by US-born players. Only 5% of players are born abroad, and most of them enter the sport by going to college in the US. Genuine international figures are rare, and coaches from abroad are particularly rare, which makes James Cook’s story remarkable.

Cook’s Unlikely Path 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 was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and never played professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his father and stumbled upon what he called a “weird and wonderful” sport. He started playing in his area and quickly aspired to become the first-ever NFL QB from Europe. He progressed to representing Team GB, but his dreams to go to university in the US were financially prohibitive.

“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys wanted me, I would adjust my shifts and help out. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d show up around London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often buy me lunch.”

It was here that he met Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he established the IPP programme in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first-ever British full-time coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting players,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to work with younger players from around the Pacific region to introduce them to college football, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Like Durde before him, Cook transitioned from working with foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland called unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting younger players, optimizing efficiency on the training ground, working closely with medical staff, the coach and general manager. It’s a really active position, which is ideal for me. My background was guiding players from abroad who had not played the game. Rookie newcomers also have to build structure and routines: how to take care of their health and deal with a massive game plan. But also just being available for players. That’s the identical everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Brit who never compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a perceived hurdle than an actual one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style jokes and many players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they love that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the similar things and need support in the identical ways. If players know you can assist them, they don’t care about your origin or what accent. And when people realize that you care, all the rest fades.”

Advantages of Coming From Beyond the NFL Bubble

Originating from beyond the American football world has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and build relationships. Teammates are truly curious. NFL buildings are more diverse than many think. We have people from various origins, a variety of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been better at attracting international supporters than developing foreign players. Mailata, a former rugby player from Australia who claimed the Super Bowl recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have made it to the elite level.

International Players and Their Paths

Foreign players have typically been kickers, recruited from other football codes. Howfield exchanged playing up front for Watford and Fulham for becoming a kicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and did not trained in the US college 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 Nottingham University, has made that step. He competed in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his preferred games, football and the sport, so took up American football in his late teens. He stood out while representing clubs in Austria and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a spot 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 periods on the periphery at the Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in each team but is yet to see action on the field. Is his status as a international player still a challenge?

“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. Initially, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a really welcoming culture, a great team, a great franchise.”

Despite spending the majority of training with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his teams. “Obviously the O-line is consistently very tight because we are a group and altogether one, but we have mates from every position group. My close friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, actually – was a wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the LA Rams. QBs, defenders, special teams: we’ve have to be supportive.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is conscious he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say all the countries beyond the US. The better every IPP graduate does, the greater number of young people who play football in Italy, in Europe, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, seeking tips. It’s nice to encourage them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The IPP graduates are all invited to the US each year to train the new group of aspiring NFL internationals. “Almost all of us return