TThe United States is a country of immigrants, but NFL US-born players continue to dominate. Only 5% of players are foreign-born, and most of them enter the sport by going to college in the United States. True underdogs are uncommon, and foreign coaches are especially rare, which is what makes James Cook's story remarkable.
Cook was responsible for player development in Cleveland Browns over the past six months. That's an achievement in itself, but it's unusual given that he grew up in Surrey, is in his mid-20s and has never played professional sport. Cook discovered the NFL at age 12, when he was channel surfing with his father and came across “this weird and wonderful” sport. He started playing locally and soon wanted to become the first NFL quarterback born in Europe. He went so far as to play for Great Britain, but his plans to attend college in the US proved financially prohibitive.
Instead, he volunteered to help the NFL's nascent International Player Pathway (IPP) program, a program created in 2017 to recruit players from overseas, all while working at a local movie theater. “I scooped popcorn, washed seats, flipped burgers, did a little bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys needed me, I would change shifts and help out. As a fullback, the only thing I had was something I could throw. So when they were working with the players, I would show up all over London and throw them the ball. I didn't get paid, but they used to buy me lunch.”
It was here that he met Aden Durde, who spent his playing days with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs before founding the IPP program in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first full-time British coach in NFL history, Cook took over IPP. “I had a lot of fun working with some really interesting guys,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Claytonwho was selected by Buffalo; Charlie SmithIrish striker who currently plays for the Saints. I went to Australia to work with young players from all over the Pacific region to get them involved in college football, which is what I wanted.”
Like Durde before him, Cook went from working with foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns called out of the blue,” he says. “They had a hybrid role: supporting young players, making the most of time in training, collaborating with the physios, the head coach and the general manager. It's a really hands-on role, which was perfect for me. My experience has been working with international athletes who have never played the sport. First-year players also have to build structure and routines: how to take care of their body and deal with a huge game. But also just being around the guys. It's the same everywhere. And for me, that's the same.” I like it.”
Does being an Englishman who didn't play in the NFL hold him back? “It's more of a perceived obstacle than a real one,” Cook says. “I had a lot of back jokes about Ted Lasso and a lot of players called me “bruv” because they liked it. It's more about testing yourself. I say “trash can,” not “recycle bin.” But we are nervous or worried for the same reasons and need support in the same way. If players know you can help them, they won't care where you're from or what your accent is. And when people know you care, everything else goes away.”
Coming from outside the NFL bubble has its benefits. “From the very beginning I was speaking in front of the whole team and when we came out one of our forwards wanted to talk to me about rugby because he loves it. You make these connections and you build relationships. People are genuinely intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than people think. We have people from all different backgrounds, different upbringings. Our mantra at IPP has been 'Be different – you're different, so lean into that'. It's something to celebrate.”
The NFL has had more success attracting foreign fans than developing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, former rugby league player from Sydney who won the Super Cup earlier this year with the team Philadelphia Eaglesis one of the few IPP players to achieve success.
Foreign players were usually kickers recruited from other football clubs. Bobby Howfield traded from playing forward for Watford and Fulham to playing for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union at St Albans and joined the Atlanta Falcons. Unless you want to be a kicker and are educated in the US college system, making the jump to the NFL is extremely difficult.
Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea's youth team before discovering American football at Nottingham University, has made the move. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving on to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Equally unlikely is the story of Maximilian Pircher. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the Italian was clearly not cut out for his favorite sports, football and handball, and took up American football as a teenager. He impressed playing for clubs in Austria and Germany as well as the Italian national team and was offered a place in the IPP in 2021.
A year later, he captured the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the Los Angeles Rams' practice squad. Pircher played briefly with the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders before signing with the Minnesota Vikings in late August. He was popular throughout the dressing rooms but had yet to see action on the pitch. Is it still difficult to be a foreigner?
“It’s not that difficult and it’s not a barrier,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from different states, so it doesn't really matter. First they ask, 'You have an accent – where are you from?' But once we figure it out, we'll all be friends. The Vikings have a really welcoming culture, a great team, a great organization.”
Even though Pircher spent most of his practices with his fellow offensive linemen, he immersed himself in the social environment of his clubs. “Obviously the O-line is always very tight because we're united and generally unified, but we have friends from every position group. My best friend, Landen Akers – my best man, actually – played wide receiver for the Rams.” long perch Matt Orzeck from the Packers is a really good friend; we lived together for two years on the Los Angeles Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, special teams: we have to be there for each other.”
Pircher is aware that he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say all countries outside the US. The more each of us at IPP do, the more young people who play football in Italy, Germany and wherever, see: “Oh, it's possible – if I work every day, I can achieve something.” Many children come to me and ask for advice. It’s nice to inspire them to experience what I experienced.”
IPP alumni are invited to Florida each year to coach the next wave of potential NFL underdogs. “Almost all of us come back here every year, including Jordan. [Mailata]to teach new people and help them, tell them what we experienced,” says Pircher. “The international program is like a family. We give back what the program gave us. We will be forever grateful.”
Cook is adamant that foreign players have bright futures in the NFL. “It will happen,” he says. “It's a matter of when, not if. Why not a German quarterback? Why not a Japanese wide receiver? The NFL is for big, fast, strong, diligent, smart, hard-working, structured people – and these are not traits unique to one geographic region. Talent and skill are distributed throughout the world, but opportunity is not. The job of the NFL is to provide opportunity. I can't wait to see that happen.”
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