The Athletes and Coaches Born Outside in the United States
Although the US is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is largely led by American-born athletes. Just five percent of players are born abroad, and most of them enter the game by going to college in the US. Genuine outsiders are rare, and foreign coaches are especially rare, which makes James Cook’s story remarkable.
Cook’s Unlikely Path to the NFL
For the past six months, Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he grew up in Surrey, is in his twenties, and did not played pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his father and stumbled upon what he described as a “weird and wonderful” game. He began participating in his area and quickly aspired to become the first NFL quarterback from Europe. He got as far as representing Great Britain, but his plans to go to college in the US proved too expensive.
“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys wanted me, I would switch my schedule and help out. 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 throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often buy me lunch.”
It was here that he encountered Durde, who had periods with the Carolina 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 became part of the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first-ever British permanent coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable players,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Australia to train aspiring athletes from across the Pacific to get them into college football, similar to what I had hoped to do.”
Making the Leap to NFL Coaching
Like his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from working with foreign players to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting rookies, maximising time on the training ground, working closely with physios, the coach and GM. It’s a very hands-on position, which is perfect for me. My background was working with players from abroad who had never played the sport. First-year rookies also have to build habits and schedules: how to take care of their health and deal with a massive playbook. But also just being available for guys. That’s the same 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 barrier than an real one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style jokes and loads of players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the similar things and require help in the identical ways. If players know you can help them, they don’t care where you’re from or how you speak. And when players know that you are invested, all the rest fades.”
Advantages of Being Outside the NFL Bubble
Coming from beyond the American football world has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and build relationships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are more diverse than many think. We have staff from various origins, 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 better at attracting foreign fans than nurturing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby player from Australia who claimed the Super Bowl recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the elite level.
Foreign Athletes and Their Journeys
Foreign players have typically been kickers, recruited from different sports. Bobby Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for becoming a placekicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not educated in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.
Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding American football at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He competed in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Steelers.
Pircher’s experience is equally unlikely. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the from Italy was obviously not built for his favoured sports, football and the sport, so took up American football in his late teens. He impressed while representing teams in Europe and Europe, as well as the national side, and was given a spot on the IPP in that year.
A year later, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had periods on the periphery at the Lions, Seattle 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 hasn’t had game time on the field. Is being a international player still a hurdle?
“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. Initially, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a very welcoming culture, a excellent team, a top franchise.”
Although devoting most of practice with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his clubs. “Naturally the offensive line is always very tight because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have mates from every position group. My close friend, Akers – my best man, actually – played receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for two years at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, specialists: we’ve got to be there for each other.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
Pircher is aware he symbolizes not only Italy and Austria. “In my view all the countries outside the United States. The better each one of us performs, the more youth who participate in Europe, in Germany, anywhere, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”
The program alumni are all invited to Florida each year to coach the new group of potential NFL internationals. “Almost all of us come back
