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While the US is a country of immigrants, the NFL is largely dominated by US-born athletes. Just five percent of players are foreign-born, and the majority of them enter the game by attending college in the United States. True outsiders are unusual, and foreign coaches are particularly scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.

Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL

Cook has been in control of player development at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible considering he was raised in England, is in his late 20s, and did not played pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his father and stumbled upon what he described as a “weird and wonderful” sport. He started playing in his area and quickly wanted to become the first-ever NFL quarterback born in Europe. He got as far as playing for Great Britain, but his dreams to attend university in the US proved too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys wanted me, I would switch my schedule and help out. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up all over London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”

It was here that he met Aden Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he set up the IPP program 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 took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable players,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to train aspiring athletes from around the Pacific region to introduce them to college football, like what I had hoped to do.”

Making the Leap to NFL Coaching

Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from working with international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland called unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting younger players, optimizing efficiency on the training ground, collaborating with medical staff, the head coach and GM. It’s a very active role, which is ideal for me. My experience was working with players from abroad who had not played the game. Rookie rookies also have to establish habits and routines: how to take care of their body and deal with a huge game plan. But also just being available for players. That’s the identical everywhere. And I love that.”

Is being an Englishman who never compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a imagined 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 love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and need help in the same ways. If players know 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 other stuff melts away.”

Benefits of Being Beyond the NFL Bubble

Coming from outside the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen asked me about the sport with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and build relationships. People are truly intrigued. NFL buildings are varied than people think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a range of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been better at attracting international supporters than nurturing foreign players. Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Sydney who won the championship earlier this year with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the very top.

International Athletes and Their Paths

Foreign players have typically been kickers, brought in from other football codes. Bobby Howfield swapped playing up front for Watford and Fulham for being a placekicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in England to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and did not trained in the US college system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s youth team before discovering the sport at Nottingham University, has made that step. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At over two meters and heavyweight, the Italian was clearly not suited for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so started the NFL in his teenage years. He stood out while playing for teams in Europe and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was given a spot on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he held the championship trophy as a part of the Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had spells on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in each team but is hasn’t had action on the gridiron. Is his status as a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a very welcoming environment, a excellent squad, a top organization.”

Despite spending the majority of training with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is consistently close-knit because we are a unit and united, but we have mates from every position group. My best friend, Landen Akers – my best man, in fact – played wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for a while at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is conscious he symbolizes more than just his home countries. “In my view all the countries outside the US. The better each one of us performs, the more young people who play football in Europe, in Europe, wherever, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to experience what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are welcomed to the US annually to coach the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Almost all of us return