The Players and Coaches Not Born in the USA
Although the US is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is largely dominated by US-born players. Just 5% of participants are foreign-born, and the majority of them enter the game by going to college in the United States. True international figures are rare, and foreign coaches are especially rare, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.
Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League
Cook has been in charge of player development at the Cleveland Browns. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible given he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and never played pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his father and came across what he called a “strange and amazing” sport. He began participating in his area and soon aspired to become the first NFL QB from Europe. He got as far as representing Great Britain, but his dreams to attend university in the US proved too expensive.
“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people wanted me, I would switch my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d appear all over 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 periods with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he established the IPP program in that year with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first British permanent coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting players,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to work with aspiring athletes from across the Pacific region to get them into college football, like what I had hoped to do.”
Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL
Similar to Durde before him, Cook made the jump from training foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns contacted me 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 really active position, which is ideal for me. My background was working with players from abroad who had never played the game. First-year newcomers also have to build structure and schedules: how to take care of their body and handle a huge game plan. But also just being present for players. That’s the identical everywhere. And I enjoy that.”
Does being an Brit who did not play in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a imagined hurdle than an real one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and many players call me ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the similar things and need support in the same ways. If players understand you can assist them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or what accent. And when people realize that you care, all the other stuff fades.”
Benefits of Coming From Beyond the NFL Bubble
Coming from outside the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I spoke 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 enjoys it. You build those bonds and form friendships. Teammates are truly intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than many think. We have people from various origins, a variety of experiences. Our saying 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 attracting international supporters than nurturing global talent. Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the Super Bowl recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have risen to the very top.
Foreign Athletes and Their Journeys
Foreign players have usually been kickers, recruited from different sports. Bobby Howfield swapped soccer for English clubs for being a kicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in St Albans to the Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and were not educated in the American system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.
Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s academy before finding the sport at university, has made that step. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Maximilian Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was obviously not suited for his preferred games, football and handball, so took up American football in his late teens. He stood out while representing teams in Europe and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a place on the IPP in that year.
A year later, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have spells on the fringes at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is yet to see game time on the gridiron. Is being 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 – what’s your background?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a really welcoming environment, a great team, a great franchise.”
Despite spending most of training with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is always close-knit because we are a group and altogether one, but we have friends from all positions. My close friend, Akers – my best man, in fact – played receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Packers, Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”
Motivating the Next Generation
Pircher is conscious he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say every nation outside the United States. The better each one of us performs, the greater number of youth who participate in Italy, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in every day, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”
The program alumni are welcomed to the US annually to coach the new group of potential NFL internationals. “Almost all of us come back
