These Players and Coaches Born Outside in the United States

Although the United States is a country of immigrants, the NFL is still led by US-born players. Only five percent of participants are born abroad, and most of them step into the game by attending college in the United States. True international figures are unusual, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which makes James Cook’s story exceptional.

James Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League

For the past six months, Cook has been in control of player development at the Browns organization. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary given he was raised in England, is in his late 20s, and never participated in professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his father and stumbled upon what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He began participating in his area and soon wanted to become the first NFL quarterback born in Europe. He progressed to representing Team GB, but his plans to attend college in the US proved too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys needed me, I would adjust my schedule and assist. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up around London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d often buy me lunch.”

This is where he met Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he established the IPP program in that year with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first-ever UK permanent coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable players,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from across the Pacific region to get them into college football, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to NFL Coaching

Like his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from training international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role supporting younger players, optimizing efficiency on the training ground, working closely with physios, the head coach and GM. It’s a really hands-on role, which is perfect for me. My background was working with international athletes who had not played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to establish structure and routines: learning to take care of their body and deal with a huge playbook. But also just being present for guys. That’s the same across the board. And I love that.”

Does being an Englishman who never play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a perceived barrier than an actual one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style jokes and loads of players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they love that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the same things and require help in the identical ways. If players know you can help them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or what accent. And when people realize that you are invested, all the other stuff fades.”

Benefits of Being Outside the NFL Bubble

Originating from beyond the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we walked out, 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 curious. NFL buildings are varied than people think. We have staff from all sorts of backgrounds, a range of experiences. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been better at producing international supporters than nurturing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Sydney who claimed the Super Bowl recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have made it to the very top.

International Players and Their Paths

International athletes have usually been specialists, brought in from other football codes. Bobby Howfield swapped playing up front for Watford and Fulham for being a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in England to the Atlanta 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 advance to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s academy before discovering American football at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s experience is just as unlikely. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the Italian was obviously not suited for his preferred games, football and handball, so started the NFL in his teenage years. He impressed while playing for clubs in Austria and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was given a spot 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 spells 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 each team but is hasn’t had action on the gridiron. Is his status as a international player still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they ask: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, once we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a very welcoming environment, a great squad, a top organization.”

Despite devoting most of practice with his other linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his teams. “Naturally the O-line is always very tight because we are a unit and united, but we have mates from all positions. My best friend, Landen Akers – my best man, actually – played wide receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Packers, Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for two years at the LA Rams. QBs, defenders, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is conscious he symbolizes more than just his home countries. “I would say all the countries outside the United States. The more successful each one of us does, the more youth who participate in Italy, in Germany, anywhere, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids contacting me, asking for tips. It’s nice to encourage them to experience what I’ve achieved.”

The IPP graduates are all invited to the US annually to train the new group of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us return