These Athletes and Coaches Born Outside in the United States
Although the US is a country of immigrants, the NFL is largely led by US-born players. Just 5% of players are born abroad, and most of them enter the game by going to university in the United States. Genuine outsiders are rare, and coaches from abroad are particularly scarce, which renders James Cook’s story exceptional.
James Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL
Cook has been in charge of player development at the Cleveland Browns. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he grew up in Surrey, is in his twenties, and did not played professional sport. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his dad and came across what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He began participating locally and soon aspired to become the first-ever NFL QB from Europe. He got as far as playing for Great Britain, but his plans to attend university in the US were financially prohibitive.
“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people needed me, I would switch my schedule and assist. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. 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 buy me lunch.”
It was here that he met Durde, who had periods with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he established the IPP program in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first-ever British permanent coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting players,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Australia to work with younger players from around the Pacific to get them into college football, similar to what I had hoped to do.”
Transitioning to NFL Coaching
Like his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from working with international athletes to joining the NFL. “The Browns contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting younger players, maximising time on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the coach and general manager. It’s a very active role, which is perfect for me. My experience was guiding players from abroad who had not played the game. Rookie rookies also have to build structure and routines: learning to look after their health and deal with a huge playbook. But also just being present for players. That’s the identical everywhere. And I enjoy that.”
Does being an Brit who never compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a imagined barrier than an real one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style comments and loads of players call me ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the same things and require help in the identical ways. If players understand you can help them, they don’t care where you’re from or how you speak. And when players realize that you care, all the rest fades.”
Advantages of Being Beyond the NFL Bubble
Originating from outside the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and form friendships. Teammates are genuinely intrigued. NFL buildings are varied than people think. We have staff from all sorts of backgrounds, a range of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so lean into it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”
The NFL has been more successful at producing foreign fans than developing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Australia who won the Super Bowl recently with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have made it to the very top.
International Players and Their Journeys
Foreign players have typically been specialists, recruited from other football codes. Howfield exchanged playing up front for Watford and Fulham for being a kicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby in England to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not trained in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.
Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding the sport at university, has made that step. He played in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.
Maximilian Pircher’s experience is equally unlikely. At over two meters and heavyweight, the Italian was obviously not built for his preferred games, football and the sport, so started American football in his teenage years. 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.
The following year, he had his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had periods on the periphery at the Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in every locker room but is yet to see action on the field. Is his status as a international player still a hurdle?
“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” says the player. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a really welcoming environment, a great team, a top organization.”
Although spending the majority of practice with his other linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his clubs. “Obviously the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a group and altogether one, but we have mates from all positions. My close friend, Akers – my wedding witness, actually – was a wide receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
Pircher is aware he symbolizes not only his home countries. “I would say all the countries beyond the US. The better every IPP graduate performs, the more young people who play football in Italy, in Europe, anywhere, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”
The IPP graduates are all invited to Florida each year to train the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us come back
