These Players and Coaches Not Born in the United States

Although the United States is a country of newcomers, the NFL is still led by US-born athletes. Only five percent of players are foreign-born, and the majority of them step into the game by going to college in the US. True outsiders are unusual, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which renders James Cook’s story exceptional.

James Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League

Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and never played professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old 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 wanted to become the first NFL QB born in Europe. He got as far as representing Team GB, but his plans to attend university in the US were too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys wanted me, I would adjust my schedule and help out. Being a quarterback, the one thing 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 wasn’t paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”

It was here that he met Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he established the IPP programme in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of 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 enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable guys,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I went to Down Under to work with younger players from around the Pacific region to introduce them to the US college system, like what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to NFL Coaching

Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from working with international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland called out of the blue,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, maximising efficiency on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and general manager. It’s a really hands-on role, which is perfect for me. My experience was working with players from abroad who had not played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to establish habits and schedules: learning to look after their health and deal with a massive 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 more of a imagined hurdle than an real one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style comments and many players call me ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the similar things and require help in the same 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 melts away.”

Benefits of Being Outside the NFL Bubble

Coming from outside the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen asked me about rugby with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and form friendships. Teammates are truly curious. NFL organizations are varied than many think. We have staff 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 attracting international supporters than developing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Sydney who claimed the Super Bowl recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have risen to the very top.

International Athletes and Their Paths

International athletes have usually been specialists, recruited from other football codes. Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for being a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in England to the Falcons team. If you do not want to be a kicker and were not educated in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before finding the sport at university, has made that step. 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 23 stone, the Italian was clearly not suited for his favoured sports, football and handball, so took up American football in his teenage years. He stood out while representing clubs in Europe and Europe, as well as the national side, and was given a spot on the IPP in that year.

The following year, he held the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have periods on the fringes at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is hasn’t had game time on the gridiron. Is being a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” notes the player. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a very inclusive environment, a great team, a top organization.”

Although devoting the majority of training with his other linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his clubs. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a unit and united, but we have friends from every position group. My close friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for two years at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve have to be supportive.”

Inspiring the Future

Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say all the countries outside the United States. The better every IPP graduate does, the greater number of youth who play football in Italy, in Europe, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself every day, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many kids hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to experience what I’ve experienced.”

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