These Players and Trainers Born Outside in the United States
Although the US is a country of newcomers, the NFL is largely led by American-born players. Only 5% of players are foreign-born, and the majority of them step into the sport by going to college in the United States. True international figures are unusual, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.
James Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League
For the past six months, Cook has been in charge of player development at the Cleveland Browns. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible considering he grew up in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and never played professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “weird and wonderful” game. He started playing in his area and soon wanted to become the first-ever NFL QB born in Europe. He progressed to representing Great Britain, but his plans to attend university in the US were financially prohibitive.
“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people needed me, I would switch my schedule and assist. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. 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 usually buy me lunch.”
It was here that he met Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he established the IPP programme in that year with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first-ever British full-time coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting players,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Australia to train aspiring athletes from around the Pacific to get them into the US college system, similar to what I wanted to do.”
Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL
Similar to Durde before him, Cook made the jump from working with international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting younger players, optimizing efficiency on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and general manager. It’s a very hands-on role, which is ideal for me. My experience was guiding international athletes who had not played the game. First-year rookies also have to build structure and routines: learning to look after their body and deal with a huge playbook. But also just being present for players. That’s the identical across the board. And I enjoy that.”
Does being an Englishman who did not compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a perceived barrier than an actual one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and loads of players call me ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the similar things and need help in the identical ways. If players understand you can assist them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or what accent. And when players know that you care, all the rest fades.”
Benefits of Coming From Beyond the US System
Coming from beyond the American football world 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 rugby with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are varied than many think. We have people from various backgrounds, a range of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”
The NFL has been more successful at attracting international supporters than developing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby player from Australia who won the Super Bowl recently with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the elite level.
Foreign Players and Their Paths
Foreign players have usually been kickers, brought in from other football codes. Bobby Howfield swapped soccer for English clubs for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a special teams player and did not educated in the American system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.
Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding American football at university, has made that step. He competed in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Steelers.
Maximilian Pircher’s experience is just as unlikely. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the Italian was obviously not built for his preferred games, football and the sport, so took up American football in his teenage years. He stood out while representing clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the national side, and was offered a place on the IPP in 2021.
The following year, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had periods on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in each team but is hasn’t had game time on the field. 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 doesn’t really matter. Initially, they ask: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a really inclusive environment, a excellent team, a top franchise.”
Despite devoting the majority of training with his other linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his clubs. “Naturally the offensive line is always very tight because we are a group and united, but we have mates from every position group. My close friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, actually – was a wide receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for a while at the LA Rams. QBs, defenders, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just Italy and Austria. “In my view all the countries beyond the United States. The more successful each one of us does, the more youth who play football in Italy, in Europe, wherever, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of kids contacting me, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to experience what I’ve achieved.”
The program alumni are welcomed to Florida each year to train the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Almost all of us return
