These Athletes and Trainers Born Outside in the USA

Although the United States is a country of immigrants, the National Football League is largely dominated by US-born athletes. Just five percent of participants are foreign-born, and most of them enter the game by going to university in the United States. Genuine international figures are unusual, and coaches from abroad are particularly scarce, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.

Cook’s Surprising Journey to the NFL

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 incredible considering he was raised in England, is in his twenties, and never participated in pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his father and stumbled upon what he called a “strange and amazing” game. He began participating in his area and quickly wanted to become the first NFL quarterback born in Europe. He got as far as playing for Great Britain, but his dreams to attend college in the US proved too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people needed me, I would switch my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could throw. So when they trained with players, I’d appear around London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

This is where he encountered Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he established the International Player Pathway programme in 2017 with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Falcons, making history as the first-ever British permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some really interesting players,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Down Under to work with younger players from across the Pacific region to introduce them to the US college system, like what I had hoped to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Like Durde before him, Cook transitioned from working with international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns contacted me out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting younger players, maximising time on the practice field, collaborating with medical staff, the head coach and GM. It’s a very hands-on role, which is ideal for me. My background was working with players from abroad who had not played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to establish habits and routines: how to look after their body and deal with a massive playbook. But also just being present for players. That’s the same across the board. And I love that.”

Is being an Englishman who did not play in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an actual one,” states Cook. “I get 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 ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the similar things and need support in the same ways. If players know you can help them, they aren’t concerned where you’re from or how you speak. And when players know that you are invested, all the rest melts away.”

Benefits of Coming From Outside the NFL Bubble

Coming from beyond the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen asked me about the sport with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and form friendships. Teammates are truly intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than many think. We have people from all sorts of backgrounds, a range of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing international supporters than developing global talent. Mailata, a former rugby league player from Australia who won the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have risen to the very top.

International Athletes and Their Journeys

Foreign players have typically been specialists, brought in from other football codes. Howfield exchanged soccer for English clubs for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not trained in the US college system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.

Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s academy before discovering the sport at university, has made that step. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is just as improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the Italian was obviously not built for his preferred games, football and the sport, so started the NFL in his late teens. He stood out while representing teams in Austria and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a place on the IPP in that year.

A year later, he held the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had periods on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in every locker room but is hasn’t had game time on the field. Is being a foreigner still a challenge?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. Initially, they ask: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a really welcoming environment, a great squad, a great organization.”

Although devoting the majority of practice with his other linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his teams. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently close-knit because we are a group and united, but we have friends from every position group. My best friend, Landen Akers – my best man, in fact – played receiver at the Rams. The specialist from the Packers, Orzech, is a close pal: we shared a home for a while at the LA Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, specialists: we’ve got to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is conscious he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say all the countries beyond the United States. The more successful every IPP graduate performs, the greater number of youth who participate in Italy, in Europe, wherever, can see: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of kids hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to inspire them to pursue what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are welcomed to Florida annually to train the new group of aspiring NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us return