The Players and Trainers Born Outside in the United States
Although the United States is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is largely led by US-born athletes. Only five percent of participants are born abroad, and most of them enter the game by going to university in the US. Genuine international figures are unusual, and coaches from abroad are especially scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.
Cook’s Surprising Path to the League
Cook has been in charge of player development at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he grew up in England, is in his twenties, and did not participated in professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his dad 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 progressed to playing for Team GB, but his dreams to go to university in the US proved too expensive.
“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys wanted me, I would switch my shifts 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 didn’t get paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”
It was here that he met Aden Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the IPP programme in 2017 with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Falcons, making history as the first-ever British permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting guys,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Australia to train younger players from across the Pacific region to get them into college football, similar to what I wanted to do.”
Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL
Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from working with international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting rookies, maximising time on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the coach and GM. It’s a really hands-on position, which is perfect for me. My experience was guiding international athletes who had never played the game. Rookie newcomers also have to build habits and routines: how to take care of their health and deal with a massive game plan. But also just being available for players. That’s the identical across the board. And I love that.”
Does being an Brit who did not compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an actual one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style jokes and many 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 stressed about the similar things and need help in the same ways. If players know you can assist them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or what accent. And when players know that you care, all the rest melts away.”
Benefits of Being Outside the US System
Coming from beyond the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we left, one of our linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and form friendships. People are truly curious. NFL buildings are more diverse than people think. We have people from various origins, a variety of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”
The NFL has been more successful at producing foreign fans than nurturing global talent. Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who won the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have made it to the very top.
Foreign Athletes and Their Paths
International athletes have typically been specialists, recruited from different sports. Bobby Howfield exchanged playing up front for English clubs for being a kicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in England to the Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a special teams player and did not trained in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.
Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s academy before discovering American football at university, has made that step. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Maximilian Pircher’s experience is equally unlikely. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the Italian was clearly not suited for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so took up the NFL in his late teens. He stood out while representing clubs in Europe and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was given a spot on the IPP in that year.
A year later, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a member of the Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had periods on the fringes at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is his status as a international player still a challenge?
“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a really welcoming environment, a excellent team, a top franchise.”
Although spending most of training with his fellow linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his clubs. “Obviously the O-line is consistently close-knit because we are a unit and united, but we have mates from all positions. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – played wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. QBs, defenders, special teams: we’ve have to be supportive.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
Pircher is conscious he represents more than just his home countries. “In my view all the countries beyond the US. The more successful each one of us does, the more youth who participate in Europe, in Europe, wherever, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself every day, I can succeed.’ I have a many youngsters hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”
The program alumni are all invited to the US each year to coach the new group of potential NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us return
