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Although the US is a nation of immigrants, the NFL is still led by US-born players. Only five percent of players are born abroad, and the majority of them enter the game by going to college in the United States. True outsiders are rare, and coaches from abroad are especially rare, which makes James Cook’s journey remarkable.

James Cook’s Surprising Journey to the League

Cook has been in charge of player development at the Browns organization. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s incredible given he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and never participated in professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his father and stumbled upon what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing in his area and quickly wanted to become the first-ever NFL quarterback from Europe. He got as far as representing Team GB, but his plans to attend university in the US proved financially prohibitive.

“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys needed me, I would adjust my shifts and help out. 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.”

This is where he encountered Durde, who had periods with the Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he set up the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Falcons, becoming the first UK permanent coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable players,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from around the Pacific region to introduce them to the US college system, similar to what I had hoped to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Like Durde before him, Cook made the jump from training foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting younger players, maximising efficiency on the training ground, collaborating with medical staff, the head coach and GM. It’s a really active position, which is ideal for me. My experience was guiding international athletes who had not played the game. Rookie newcomers also have to build structure and routines: learning to look after their body and handle a massive playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the same everywhere. And I love that.”

Is being an Englishman who never compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a imagined hurdle than an real one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style jokes and loads of players call me ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the similar things and need help in the identical ways. If players understand you can help them, they don’t care about your origin or what accent. And when people realize that you are invested, all the rest fades.”

Benefits of Being Beyond the NFL Bubble

Originating from outside the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I addressed in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are varied than many think. We have staff from various 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 producing foreign fans than developing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the championship earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have risen to the very top.

Foreign Players and Their Journeys

International athletes have usually been specialists, recruited from other football codes. Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in England to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you do not want to be a kicker and did not trained in the American system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before finding American football at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He played in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is just as improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the from Italy was clearly not built for his favoured sports, soccer and handball, so took up the NFL in his late teens. He impressed while playing for teams in Austria and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was given a place 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, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is being a international player still a hurdle?

“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. Initially, they ask: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a really welcoming environment, a great team, a top organization.”

Although devoting the majority of training with his fellow linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his teams. “Naturally the offensive line is always close-knit because we are a group and altogether one, but we have mates from all positions. My close friend, Landen Akers – my best man, actually – was a wide receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. QBs, defenders, specialists: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just Italy and Austria. “In my view every nation beyond the US. The more successful each one of us does, the greater number of youth who participate in Europe, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘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 inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are all invited to the US annually to coach the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us come back