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While the United States is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is still dominated by US-born players. Just five percent of players are foreign-born, and the majority of them step into the game by going to university in the US. Genuine outsiders are unusual, and foreign coaches are especially rare, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.

James Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League

For the past six months, Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. This is an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he was raised in England, is in his twenties, and did not played professional sport. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his father and came across what he called a “weird and wonderful” game. He started playing locally and quickly wanted to become the first NFL quarterback born in Europe. He progressed to playing for Great Britain, but his plans to go to college in the US were too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people needed me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear around London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

This is where he met Aden Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the IPP program in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first British 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 was selected by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from across the Pacific to get them into the US college system, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Transitioning to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to Durde before him, Cook transitioned from working with international athletes to joining the NFL. “The Browns contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, maximising time on the practice field, collaborating with medical staff, the head coach and general manager. It’s a really hands-on position, which is ideal for me. My experience was guiding players from abroad who had never played the game. Rookie rookies also have to establish habits and schedules: learning to look after their health and deal with a huge playbook. But also just being available for guys. That’s the identical across the board. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Brit who never play in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a perceived hurdle than an actual one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style jokes and loads of players call me ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the same things and require support in the same ways. If players know you can assist them, they don’t care where you’re from or how you speak. And when people realize that you are invested, all the other stuff melts away.”

Benefits of Being Outside the NFL Bubble

Coming from beyond the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and build relationships. Teammates are truly intrigued. NFL organizations are more diverse than many think. We have staff from all sorts of origins, a range of experiences. 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 producing foreign fans than developing global talent. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Australia who claimed 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 Journeys

International athletes have usually been kickers, brought in from different sports. Howfield swapped playing up front for Watford and Fulham for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons team. If you do not want to be a special teams player and were not trained in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding the sport at university, has achieved that. He played in the CFL for the Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the from Italy was obviously not suited for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so took up the NFL in his teenage years. He stood out while representing clubs in Austria and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a spot on the IPP in that year.

A year later, he held the championship trophy as a part of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have periods on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in each team but is yet to see action on the gridiron. Is being a foreigner still a challenge?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a very welcoming environment, a excellent squad, a great organization.”

Although devoting the majority of practice with his fellow linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his clubs. “Obviously the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a group and united, but we have mates from all positions. My close friend, Akers – my best man, actually – was a receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a really good friend: 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 symbolizes more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say all the countries outside the US. The more successful each one of us does, the more youth who participate in Europe, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”

The IPP graduates are welcomed to the US each year to coach the next wave of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us return