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Although the United States is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is still dominated by American-born players. Only 5% of players are born abroad, and most of them enter the game by attending university in the United States. Genuine outsiders are unusual, and foreign coaches are particularly scarce, which renders James Cook’s journey exceptional.

Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League

Cook has been in control of player development at the Cleveland Browns. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he grew up in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and never played pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his dad and came across what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He began participating in his area and quickly aspired to become the first NFL quarterback from Europe. He got as far as playing for Team GB, but his plans to attend university in the US were too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys wanted me, I would switch my schedule and assist. As a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could throw. So when they trained with players, I’d appear around London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”

This is where he met Aden Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he set up the International Player Pathway program 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 full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable guys,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to work with younger players from around the Pacific to introduce them to college football, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to NFL Coaching

Like his predecessor 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 multi-faceted position assisting younger players, maximising time on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and general manager. It’s a very active role, which is ideal for me. My experience was working with players from abroad who had not played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to build structure and schedules: learning to look after their body and handle a huge playbook. But also just being available for guys. That’s the identical everywhere. And I love that.”

Is being an Brit who never compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a perceived hurdle than an real one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and many players call me ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the similar things and need support in the same ways. If players understand you can help them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or what accent. And when players realize that you care, all the other stuff melts away.”

Advantages of Coming From Outside the NFL Bubble

Originating from outside the American football world has its advantages. “I addressed in front of the whole squad soon after joining, 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 build relationships. Teammates are genuinely curious. NFL buildings are varied than many think. We have staff from all sorts of backgrounds, a range of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at attracting international supporters than nurturing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Australia who won the championship earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have risen to the very top.

International Players and Their Journeys

Foreign players have typically been kickers, brought in from other football codes. Bobby Howfield swapped playing up front for Watford and Fulham for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby in England to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and did not trained 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 Nottingham University, has achieved that. He played in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is just as improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the Italian was clearly not built for his favoured sports, football and the sport, so took up the NFL in his teenage years. He stood out while representing clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the national side, and was offered a spot on the IPP in that year.

The following year, he held the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have periods on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, 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 action on the gridiron. Is being a international player still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” says the player. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a very welcoming culture, a great team, a great franchise.”

Although devoting most of training with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is always close-knit because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have mates from all positions. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, actually – played wide receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for two years at the LA Rams. QBs, defenders, specialists: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say all the countries outside the US. The better each one of us does, the greater number of youth who participate in Europe, in Europe, wherever, can see: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of youngsters hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s nice to inspire them to experience what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are welcomed to Florida each year to coach the next wave of potential NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us come back