These Players and Coaches Not Born in the United States
Although the United States is a country of newcomers, the National Football League is largely led by US-born athletes. Only 5% of players are born abroad, and most of them step into the game by going to university in the United States. Genuine international figures are rare, and coaches from abroad are particularly scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.
Cook’s Unlikely Path to the League
For the past six months, Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Browns organization. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and did not played pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his father and came across what he described as a “weird and wonderful” sport. He began participating in his area and quickly aspired to become the first NFL QB from Europe. He got as far as representing Great Britain, but his plans to go to college in the US proved financially prohibitive.
“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people needed me, I would adjust my schedule and assist. Being a quarterback, the one thing 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 usually buy me lunch.”
It was here that he encountered Aden Durde, who had periods with the Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first British permanent coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable players,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to train younger players from around the Pacific region to introduce them to the US college system, similar to what I wanted to do.”
Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL
Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “The Browns contacted me unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, optimizing efficiency on the training ground, working closely with medical staff, the coach and general manager. It’s a really active role, which is ideal for me. My experience was working with international athletes who had never played the game. First-year rookies also have to build structure and routines: how to look after their body and deal with a massive playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the same everywhere. 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’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and many players call me ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or stressed about the similar things and need help in the identical ways. If players know you can assist them, they don’t care about your origin or what accent. And when players know that you are invested, all the other stuff melts away.”
Advantages of Being Beyond the US System
Originating from beyond the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and form friendships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL buildings are varied than many think. We have staff from all sorts of backgrounds, a range of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so lean into it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”
The NFL has been more successful at attracting foreign fans than developing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Australia who claimed the championship recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the very top.
Foreign Players and Their Paths
Foreign players have usually been kickers, recruited from other football codes. Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in England to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a special teams player and did not educated in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to advance to the NFL.
Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding American football at Nottingham University, has made that step. He competed in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Steelers.
Maximilian Pircher’s experience is equally improbable. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was obviously not built for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so started American football in his late teens. He impressed while representing clubs in Austria and Europe, as well as the national side, and was offered a spot on the IPP in that year.
A year later, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have periods on the fringes at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in every locker room but is hasn’t had action on the field. Is being a foreigner still a challenge?
“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” notes the player. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. Initially, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a really inclusive culture, a great squad, a great franchise.”
Despite spending most of training with his other linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his teams. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently close-knit because we are a group and altogether one, but we have friends from all positions. My close friend, Akers – my best man, actually – was a receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for two years at the Rams. QBs, defenders, specialists: we’ve got to be there for each other.”
Motivating the Future
Pircher is aware he symbolizes not only Italy and Austria. “In my view every nation beyond the United States. The better each one of us does, the more young people who play football in Europe, in Germany, wherever, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of kids contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice 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 internationals. “Virtually everyone of us come back
