These Athletes and Coaches Not Born in the United States

Although the United States is a nation of newcomers, the NFL is largely led by US-born players. Only five percent of participants are foreign-born, and most of them enter the sport by going to college in the US. Genuine outsiders are unusual, and foreign coaches are particularly rare, which renders James Cook’s story remarkable.

James Cook’s Surprising Path to the NFL

Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he was raised in England, is in his late 20s, and never played pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his father and came across what he described as a “weird and wonderful” sport. He began participating locally and quickly aspired to become the first-ever NFL quarterback from Europe. He got as far as representing Great Britain, but his dreams to attend college in the US were too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys wanted me, I would switch my shifts and help out. Being 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 throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

It was here that he met Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he established the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the coaching team at the Falcons, becoming the first UK full-time coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable players,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from around the Pacific to get them into the US college system, similar to what I had hoped to do.”

Transitioning to NFL Coaching

Like Durde before him, Cook made the jump from working with foreign players to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, maximising efficiency on the practice field, collaborating with physios, the coach and GM. It’s a really active position, which is ideal for me. My background was guiding players from abroad who had not played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to establish habits and routines: learning to look after their body and handle a huge game plan. But also just being available for guys. That’s the same across the board. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Englishman who did not compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a imagined barrier than an actual one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and many players call me ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the similar things and require support in the identical ways. If players know you can assist them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or how you speak. And when people realize that you are invested, all the rest melts away.”

Advantages of Coming From Beyond the NFL Bubble

Coming from beyond the American football world has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen asked me about rugby with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and build relationships. People are genuinely curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than many think. We have staff from all sorts of origins, a range of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing foreign fans than developing global talent. Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Sydney who won the Super Bowl recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have risen to the very top.

Foreign Athletes and Their Journeys

International athletes have typically been specialists, recruited from other football codes. Bobby Howfield exchanged soccer for English clubs for being a placekicker for the Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a kicker and did not trained in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s academy before finding American football at university, has made that step. He played in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his preferred games, football and handball, so started American football in his teenage years. He stood out while playing for teams in Austria and Germany, as well as the national side, and was offered a spot on the IPP in 2021.

A year later, 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 Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in every locker room but is hasn’t had action on the field. Is his status as a international player still a hurdle?

“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 very welcoming culture, a excellent squad, a top franchise.”

Although spending the majority of practice with his other linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his clubs. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently close-knit because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have friends from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – played receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Packers, Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for two years at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve have to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Future

Pircher is aware he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “In my view every nation outside the US. The more successful every IPP graduate does, the greater number of youth who participate in Italy, in Europe, anywhere, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself every day, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of kids contacting me, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are all invited to Florida annually to train the new group of potential NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us come back