These Athletes and Trainers Born Outside in the USA
Although the US is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is still dominated by US-born players. Just 5% of players are foreign-born, and the majority of them step into the game by attending university in the US. Genuine outsiders are rare, and coaches from abroad are particularly rare, which makes James Cook’s story remarkable.
Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the NFL
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 given he was raised in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and did not participated in professional sport. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his father and stumbled upon what he described as a “weird and wonderful” sport. He began participating in his area and soon aspired to become the first-ever NFL QB born in Europe. He progressed to playing for Team GB, but his plans to go to college in the US were too expensive.
“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys needed me, I would adjust my schedule and help out. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d show up around London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often buy me lunch.”
This is where he encountered Aden Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he established the IPP program in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Falcons, making history as the first British permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable guys,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I went to Down Under to train younger players from across the Pacific to introduce them to college football, like what I wanted to do.”
Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL
Like Durde before him, Cook transitioned from training foreign players to joining the NFL. “Cleveland called unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting younger players, optimizing efficiency on the practice field, working closely with physios, the head coach and general manager. It’s a very active role, which is perfect for me. My background was working with players from abroad who had not played the game. Rookie rookies also have to establish structure and schedules: learning to take care of their body and handle a massive playbook. But also just being available for players. That’s the same across the board. And I love that.”
Does being an Englishman who did not compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a perceived barrier than an real one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and loads of players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the similar things and require support in the identical ways. If players know you can help them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or what accent. And when players know that you are invested, all the other stuff fades.”
Benefits of Being Outside the NFL Bubble
Coming from outside the American football world has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen asked me about the sport with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and build relationships. Teammates are truly curious. NFL buildings are varied than people think. We have staff from all sorts of backgrounds, a range 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. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Australia who claimed the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have made it to the elite level.
International Athletes and Their Paths
International athletes have usually been specialists, brought in from other football codes. Bobby Howfield swapped soccer for Watford and Fulham for becoming a kicker for the Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not educated in the US college system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.
Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s academy before discovering the sport at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He played in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Maximilian Pircher’s story is just as improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the Italian was clearly not built for his favoured sports, football and the sport, so took up American football in his teenage years. He impressed while representing teams in Europe and Europe, as well as the national side, and was given a spot on the IPP in 2021.
The following year, he held the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had periods on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in every locker room but is yet to see 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 ask: ‘You speak differently – what’s your background?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a really welcoming environment, a great team, a top franchise.”
Although spending most of practice with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his teams. “Obviously the O-line is always close-knit because we are a unit and united, but we have mates from all positions. My close friend, Akers – my best man, in fact – played wide receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for a while at the LA Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”
Motivating the Future
Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just his home countries. “In my view every nation outside the United States. The more successful each one of us performs, the greater number of youth who play football in Italy, in Europe, anywhere, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many youngsters contacting me, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to experience what I’ve achieved.”
The program alumni are all invited to Florida each year to train the new group of potential NFL internationals. “Almost all of us return
