These Athletes and Coaches Born Outside in the USA
Although the United States is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is still dominated by American-born players. Only 5% of players are born abroad, and the majority of them step into the sport by going to college in the United States. Genuine outsiders are unusual, and coaches from abroad are particularly rare, which renders James Cook’s journey exceptional.
Cook’s Surprising Path to the League
For the past six months, Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an achievement in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he was raised in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and never played pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “weird and wonderful” sport. He began participating in his area and quickly wanted to become the first NFL QB from Europe. He progressed to representing Great Britain, but his dreams to go to college in the US proved financially prohibitive.
“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people wanted me, I would switch my schedule and help out. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could throw. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear all over London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”
This is where he encountered Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the IPP program in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first British full-time coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting players,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from Ireland who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Down Under to train younger players from across the Pacific to introduce them to college football, similar to what I had hoped to do.”
Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL
Like Durde before him, Cook made the jump from training foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns called out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role supporting younger players, optimizing efficiency on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the head coach and GM. It’s a really active position, which is ideal for me. My experience was guiding players from abroad who had not played the game. Rookie newcomers also have to establish structure and schedules: learning to take care of their body and deal with a massive game plan. But also just being present for players. That’s the same everywhere. And I enjoy that.”
Is being an Brit who did not compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a imagined barrier than an real one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and loads of players call me ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or stressed about the similar things and need support in the same ways. If players understand you can help them, they don’t care about your origin or what accent. And when players realize that you care, all the rest fades.”
Benefits of Being Outside the US System
Originating from outside the American football world has its upsides. “I spoke in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we left, one of our linemen wanted to talk rugby with me as he enjoys it. You build those bonds and build relationships. People are truly curious. NFL organizations are more diverse than people think. We have staff from various origins, a range of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are different 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 league player from Sydney who claimed the championship recently with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have risen to the elite level.
Foreign Players and Their Journeys
Foreign players have usually been specialists, brought in from other football codes. Howfield swapped playing up front for Watford and Fulham for being a kicker for the Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in England to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not trained 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 finding American football at university, has achieved that. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pircher’s experience is just as unlikely. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was clearly not suited for his preferred games, football and the sport, so took up American football in his late teens. He stood out while playing for teams in Europe and Germany, as well as the national side, and was offered a spot on the IPP in 2021.
A year later, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a part of the Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had periods on the fringes at the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in every locker room but is hasn’t had action on the field. Is being a foreigner still a hurdle?
“It’s not really difficult, not a barrier,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. Initially, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a really inclusive environment, a excellent team, a great organization.”
Although devoting most of training with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his clubs. “Naturally the O-line is consistently very tight because we are a unit and united, but we have friends from all positions. My best friend, Landen Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – played receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for two years at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, special teams: we’ve have to be supportive.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
Pircher is conscious he represents not only his home countries. “In my view all the countries beyond the US. The better every IPP graduate does, the greater number of young people who play football 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 kids hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s nice to inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”
The IPP graduates are welcomed to the US each year to coach the next wave of potential NFL outsiders. “Virtually everyone of us return
