These Athletes and Trainers Born Outside in the United States

While the United States is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is largely dominated by US-born players. Only 5% of players are born abroad, and most of them step into the game by going to college in the United States. True outsiders are unusual, and coaches from abroad are especially scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.

James Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL

Cook has been in control of player development at the Cleveland Browns. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he was raised in England, is in his late 20s, and never participated in pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “strange and amazing” game. He started playing locally and soon aspired to become the first-ever NFL quarterback born in Europe. He got as far as representing Team GB, but his plans to attend university in the US were too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people wanted me, I would adjust my schedule and help out. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they trained with players, I’d show up around London and throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

This is where he met Aden Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first British permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting guys,” 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 Saints. I went to Australia to work with younger players from around the Pacific region to get them into college football, like what I had hoped to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Like Durde before him, Cook made the jump from training international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns called unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting younger players, maximising time on the practice field, working closely with physios, the coach and GM. It’s a really hands-on role, which is ideal for me. My background was guiding players from abroad who had never played the game. First-year rookies also have to establish habits and schedules: learning to look after their health and deal with a huge playbook. But also just being available for guys. That’s the same across the board. And I love that.”

Is being an Englishman who did not compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a perceived barrier than an actual one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and many players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and require help in the identical ways. If players know you can help them, they don’t care about your origin or how you speak. And when people realize that you are invested, all the other stuff fades.”

Benefits of Being Beyond the US System

Originating 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 the sport with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and build relationships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL buildings are varied than people think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a variety of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been better at producing foreign fans than nurturing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Sydney who claimed the championship recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have made it to the elite level.

Foreign Players and Their Journeys

Foreign players have typically been specialists, brought in from different sports. Bobby Howfield swapped soccer for Watford and Fulham for being a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a kicker and were not trained in the US college system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s youth team before discovering the sport at university, has achieved that. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not built for his favoured sports, soccer and handball, so took up the NFL in his late teens. He impressed while playing for clubs in Austria and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was given a place on the IPP in 2021.

The following year, he had his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had spells on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in every locker room but is hasn’t had game time on the field. Is his status as a international player still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a very inclusive culture, a great team, a great franchise.”

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

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “In my view all the countries outside the United States. The better every IPP graduate does, the more young people who participate in Europe, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many youngsters hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The IPP graduates are all invited to the US each year to coach the next wave of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us return