These Athletes and Coaches Not Born in the USA
Although the US is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is largely dominated by US-born players. Just five percent of participants are born abroad, and the majority of them step into the game by going to college in the US. Genuine outsiders are rare, and foreign coaches are particularly rare, which renders James Cook’s journey remarkable.
Cook’s Surprising Journey to the NFL
For the past six months, Cook has been in control of player development at the Browns organization. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible given he was raised in England, is in his late 20s, and never played pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he called a “weird and wonderful” game. He began participating in his area and soon wanted to become the first-ever NFL quarterback born in Europe. He progressed to representing Team GB, but his plans to attend college in the US proved financially prohibitive.
“I scooped popcorn, wiping 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 throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”
It was here that he met Aden Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he set up the International Player Pathway programme in 2017 with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first UK full-time coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting guys,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to train younger players from around the Pacific region to introduce them to college football, like what I had hoped to do.”
Making the Leap to NFL Coaching
Like Durde before him, Cook transitioned from working with foreign players to joining the NFL. “The Browns called unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, maximising efficiency on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the coach and general manager. It’s a really hands-on position, which is perfect for me. My background was guiding international athletes who had never played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to build habits and schedules: how to take care of their body and handle 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 never compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a perceived hurdle than an real one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style jokes and many players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the same things and require help in the same ways. If players know you can assist them, they don’t care about your origin or what accent. And when people know that you care, all the other stuff fades.”
Advantages of Being Beyond the US System
Originating from beyond the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen asked me about rugby with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and form friendships. Teammates are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are varied than people think. We have people from all sorts of backgrounds, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”
The NFL has been more successful at attracting foreign fans than nurturing global talent. Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who won the championship earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the elite level.
International Athletes and Their Paths
International athletes have usually been kickers, recruited from different sports. Bobby Howfield exchanged playing up front for Watford and Fulham for becoming a placekicker for the Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby in England to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a special teams player and were not trained in the US college system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.
Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s academy before discovering American football at university, has achieved that. He competed in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Steelers.
Maximilian Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At over two meters and 23 stone, the from Italy was obviously not built for his preferred games, soccer and handball, so started the NFL in his teenage years. He stood out while representing teams in Austria and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a place on the IPP in 2021.
The following year, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had periods on the fringes at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in each team but is hasn’t had action on the field. Is his status as a international player still a challenge?
“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the player. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a very inclusive environment, a excellent team, a great franchise.”
Although spending the majority of training with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his clubs. “Obviously the O-line is consistently close-knit because we are a group and altogether one, but we have mates from all positions. My close friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – played wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for two years at the Rams. QBs, defenders, special teams: we’ve have to be there for each other.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
Pircher is aware he represents not only his home countries. “In my view every nation outside the United States. The better every IPP graduate does, the greater number of youth who play football in Italy, in Germany, wherever, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in 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 experienced.”
The IPP graduates are all invited to Florida annually to coach the next wave of potential NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us come back
