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Although the US is a country of newcomers, the NFL is still led by American-born players. Just 5% of players are born abroad, and most of them enter the sport by attending college in the US. True international figures are unusual, and foreign coaches are especially rare, which renders James Cook’s story remarkable.

James Cook’s Unlikely Path to the League

Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible considering he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and never participated in pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “weird and wonderful” game. He began participating in his area and quickly wanted to become the first-ever NFL QB from Europe. He progressed to representing Great Britain, but his dreams to attend college in the US were financially prohibitive.

“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys wanted me, I would adjust my schedule and assist. As a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up around London and throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”

This is where he met Aden Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he established the IPP program in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff 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 says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from around the Pacific to introduce them to the US college system, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to NFL Coaching

Like Durde before him, Cook transitioned from working with foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, optimizing time on the practice field, collaborating with physios, the coach and GM. It’s a very active position, which is ideal for me. My experience was working with international athletes who had not played the sport. First-year rookies also have to build structure and schedules: how to look after their health and deal with a massive game plan. But also just being present for guys. That’s the identical everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Englishman who never play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a imagined barrier than an real one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style comments and loads of players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the same things and require help in the identical ways. If players know you can assist them, they don’t care where you’re from or what accent. And when people know that you are invested, all the rest melts away.”

Benefits of Being Outside the US System

Coming from outside the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen asked me about the sport with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and form friendships. People are truly curious. NFL buildings are more diverse than people think. We have people from various backgrounds, a variety of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been better at attracting foreign fans than developing global talent. Mailata, a former rugby player from Australia who claimed the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have made it to the very top.

International Players and Their Journeys

International athletes have typically been kickers, recruited from other football codes. Howfield swapped soccer for English clubs for becoming a placekicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and were not educated in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s youth team before discovering the sport at university, has achieved that. He competed in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the from Italy was clearly not built for his preferred games, soccer and handball, so started American football in his late teens. He impressed while playing for teams in Austria and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was given a place on the IPP in that year.

A year later, he held the championship trophy as a part of the Rams training team. Pircher went on to have periods on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular 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 an obstacle,” notes the player. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a really inclusive environment, a excellent team, a top franchise.”

Although spending most of training with his other linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his clubs. “Obviously the O-line is always very tight because we are a group and altogether one, but we have friends from all positions. My close friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for a while at the Rams. QBs, defenders, special teams: we’ve have to be supportive.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is conscious he symbolizes more than just his home countries. “I would say every nation beyond the United States. The better each one of us does, the more youth who participate in Europe, in Europe, anywhere, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in every day, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids contacting me, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

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