These Athletes and Coaches Born Outside in the USA
Although the United States is a nation of immigrants, the NFL is still led by US-born athletes. Only 5% of participants are foreign-born, and most of them step into the game by attending college in the US. True outsiders are unusual, and foreign coaches are especially scarce, which renders James Cook’s story remarkable.
James Cook’s Surprising Journey to the League
Cook has been in control of player development at the Browns organization. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he grew up in England, is in his late 20s, and never participated in pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing in his area and soon aspired to become the first-ever NFL quarterback born in Europe. He got as far as playing for Great Britain, but his plans to attend university in the US proved financially prohibitive.
“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys needed me, I would switch 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 all over London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often buy me lunch.”
This is where he met Aden Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he set up the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Falcons, making history as the first-ever British full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable guys,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to work with younger players from across the Pacific region to get them into the US college system, similar to what I wanted to do.”
Transitioning to NFL Coaching
Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a hybrid role supporting younger players, optimizing efficiency on the practice field, collaborating with physios, the coach and GM. It’s a really hands-on role, which is ideal for me. My background was guiding international athletes who had never played the sport. Rookie newcomers also have to build structure and routines: learning to look after their body and handle a huge playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the identical across the board. And I enjoy that.”
Is being an Englishman who did not play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a imagined hurdle than an real one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style comments and many players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about checking myself. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the similar things and need help in the same ways. If players know you can help them, they don’t care where you’re from or how you speak. And when players know that you are invested, all the rest melts away.”
Advantages of Coming From Outside the NFL Bubble
Originating from outside the American football world has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and build relationships. People are genuinely curious. NFL organizations are varied than people think. We have people from all sorts of backgrounds, a variety of upbringings. Our saying 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 attracting foreign fans than nurturing global talent. Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Sydney who won the championship recently with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the very top.
International Players and Their Journeys
International athletes have usually been kickers, brought in from other football codes. Bobby Howfield exchanged playing up front for Watford and Fulham for being a kicker for the Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in England to the Falcons team. If you do not want to be a kicker and did not educated in the American system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.
Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before discovering American football at university, has made that step. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Maximilian Pircher’s experience is equally unlikely. At over two meters and 23 stone, the from Italy was obviously not built for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so started the NFL in his late teens. He stood out while playing for teams in Austria and Europe, as well as the national side, and was offered a place on the IPP in that year.
The following year, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had periods on the fringes at the Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in each team but is hasn’t had action on the gridiron. Is his status as a foreigner still a hurdle?
“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they ask: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a very welcoming environment, a excellent team, a great organization.”
Although devoting the majority of training with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his clubs. “Obviously the O-line is consistently very tight because we are a group and united, but we have friends from all positions. My close friend, Landen Akers – my best man, in fact – played receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for two years at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, special teams: we’ve got to be supportive.”
Motivating the Next Generation
Pircher is conscious he symbolizes not only Italy and Austria. “In my view every nation outside the US. The better every IPP graduate performs, the greater number of youth who participate in Italy, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to experience what I’ve achieved.”
The IPP graduates are welcomed to the US annually to coach the new group of potential NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us return
