These Players and Coaches Born Outside in the USA
Although the US is a country of newcomers, the NFL is still led by US-born players. Only 5% of participants are foreign-born, and the majority of them step into the sport by attending university in the US. Genuine international figures are rare, and coaches from abroad are especially scarce, which renders James Cook’s journey remarkable.
James Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL
Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Browns organization. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he was raised in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and did not participated in professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his father and stumbled upon what he called a “strange and amazing” game. He began participating in his area and quickly aspired to become the first-ever NFL QB born in Europe. He got as far as playing for Team GB, but his dreams to go to college in the US proved financially prohibitive.
“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people wanted me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear all over London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often buy me lunch.”
It was here that he met Aden Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he set up the IPP program in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Falcons, making history as the first-ever UK full-time coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting guys,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Australia to train younger players from across the Pacific to get them into the US college system, similar to 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 joining the NFL. “The Browns called unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, optimizing time on the training ground, collaborating with medical staff, the coach and general manager. It’s a really active position, which is ideal for me. My background was guiding players from abroad who had not played the game. Rookie newcomers also have to establish structure and routines: learning to look after their health and handle a huge playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the identical across the board. And I love that.”
Is being an Brit who never compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a perceived barrier than an real one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style comments and many players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the similar things and require support in the same ways. If players know you can help them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or how you speak. And when people realize that you care, all the other stuff fades.”
Benefits of Being Outside the US System
Coming from beyond the American football world has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our linemen asked me about rugby with me as he loves it. You make those connections and form friendships. People are truly intrigued. NFL organizations are varied than people think. We have people from various backgrounds, a range of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”
The NFL has been more successful at attracting international supporters than developing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the championship recently with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the very top.
International Players and Their Journeys
International athletes have usually been kickers, recruited from different sports. Howfield swapped playing up front for Watford and Fulham for becoming a kicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you do not want to be a kicker and did not educated in the US college system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.
Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding American football at university, has achieved that. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was obviously not suited for his preferred games, soccer and the sport, so started American football in his late teens. He stood out while representing teams in Austria 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 member of the Rams training team. Pircher went on to have spells on the periphery at the Lions, 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 yet to see action on the gridiron. Is his status as a international player still a challenge?
“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 inquire: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a very welcoming culture, a great team, a great franchise.”
Although spending most of training with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his teams. “Obviously the O-line is always very tight because we are a group and united, but we have friends from every position group. My close friend, Akers – my best man, actually – was a wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. QBs, defenders, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”
Motivating the Future
Pircher is aware he represents not only his home countries. “I would say every nation outside the US. The better every IPP graduate does, the more youth who play football in Europe, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself every day, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s nice to inspire them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”
The IPP graduates are all invited to the US annually to coach the next wave of potential NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us return