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Although the US is a nation of newcomers, the NFL is largely led by US-born athletes. Just 5% of participants are foreign-born, and most of them step into the sport by going to college in the United States. True outsiders are rare, and coaches from abroad are particularly rare, which renders James Cook’s journey remarkable.

Cook’s Surprising Path to the League

Cook has been in charge of player development at the Browns organization. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible given he grew up in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and never played pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his dad and stumbled upon what he called a “weird and wonderful” game. He began participating in his area and quickly aspired to become the first NFL quarterback born in Europe. He got as far as playing for Great Britain, but his dreams to attend college in the US proved financially prohibitive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys 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 show up all over London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

This is where he encountered Aden Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he established the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first-ever UK permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting players,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Down Under to train aspiring athletes from across the Pacific region 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 made the jump from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, optimizing time on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and GM. It’s a really hands-on position, which is perfect for me. My background was working with players from abroad who had not played the sport. First-year rookies also have to build habits and schedules: learning to look after their body and deal with a huge playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the identical across the board. And I love that.”

Is being an Englishman who did not compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a imagined hurdle than an actual one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and loads of players call me ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the same things and need help in the same ways. If players understand you can help them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or how you speak. And when people know that you are invested, all the other stuff melts away.”

Benefits of Being Outside the NFL Bubble

Coming from outside the American football world has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we left, one of our linemen asked me about the sport with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and form friendships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are more diverse than people think. We have staff from all sorts of origins, a range of upbringings. 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 better at producing international supporters than developing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Australia who won the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have made it to the elite level.

Foreign Players and Their Paths

Foreign players have typically been kickers, recruited from other football codes. Bobby Howfield exchanged soccer for English clubs for becoming a kicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in St Albans to the Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not educated in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding American football at Nottingham University, has made that step. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is just as improbable. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the from Italy was obviously not suited for his favoured sports, football and handball, so started the NFL in his late teens. He stood out while representing clubs in Austria and Europe, as well as the national side, and was offered a place on the IPP in 2021.

A year later, he had his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the LA Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had spells on the periphery at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in each team but is hasn’t had game time on the gridiron. Is being a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a really welcoming environment, a excellent team, a top organization.”

Although devoting most of training with his other linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Naturally the O-line is always close-knit because we are a group and altogether one, but we have mates from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a wide receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for two years at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, specialists: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is conscious he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “In my view every nation beyond the US. The better every IPP graduate does, the more youth who play football in Italy, in Europe, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a many youngsters contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to inspire them to experience what I’ve experienced.”

The IPP graduates are welcomed to Florida annually to train the new group of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us return