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Although the United States is a country of immigrants, the NFL is still led by US-born athletes. Only five percent of participants are born abroad, and most of them step into the sport by attending university in the US. Genuine outsiders are unusual, and coaches from abroad are particularly rare, which renders James Cook’s story exceptional.

Cook’s Unlikely Path to the League

Cook has been in control of player development at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he grew up in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and never participated in professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his dad and came across what he called a “strange and amazing” game. He started playing in his area and soon wanted to become the first NFL QB from Europe. He got as far as playing for Team GB, but his dreams to go to university in the US proved financially prohibitive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys needed me, I would switch my schedule and help out. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they worked out 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 encountered Aden Durde, who had periods with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the coaching team at the Falcons, becoming the first British permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable guys,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Down Under to train younger players from across the Pacific to introduce them to the US college system, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to NFL Coaching

Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from training international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns called out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting younger players, maximising time on the practice field, collaborating with physios, the head 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 build habits and routines: how to take care of their health and deal with a huge playbook. But also just being present for players. That’s the same everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Brit who never compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a imagined hurdle than an actual one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style jokes and many players call me ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the similar things and need support in the same ways. If players know you can help them, they don’t care where you’re from or what accent. And when people realize that you are invested, all the other stuff melts away.”

Benefits of Being Beyond the US System

Coming from beyond the American football world has its advantages. “I addressed in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen asked me about the sport with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and build relationships. People are genuinely curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than many think. We have people from all sorts of origins, a variety of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been better at producing international supporters than developing foreign players. Mailata, a former rugby league player from Australia who claimed the championship recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have risen to the elite level.

International Athletes and Their Journeys

Foreign players have usually been specialists, brought in from other football codes. Bobby Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for being a kicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in England to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and did not trained in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.

Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before finding American football at Nottingham University, has made that step. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s experience is just as improbable. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the Italian was obviously not suited for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so started the NFL in his teenage years. He stood out while playing for teams in Europe and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a spot on the IPP in that year.

A year later, he had his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had spells on the periphery at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in each team 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 player. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a really welcoming culture, a excellent squad, a great organization.”

Despite devoting the majority of training with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his clubs. “Obviously the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a group and united, but we have friends from all positions. My close friend, Landen Akers – my best man, actually – was a wide receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for two years at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve have to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is aware he represents not only his home countries. “I would say every nation beyond the US. The more successful each one of us performs, the greater number of young people who participate in Italy, in Europe, wherever, can see: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids contacting me, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to experience what I’ve achieved.”

The IPP graduates are welcomed to Florida annually to train the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us come back