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Although the US is a country of immigrants, the NFL is still led by American-born players. Just five percent of participants are foreign-born, and most of them enter the sport by going to university in the US. True outsiders are rare, and coaches from abroad are particularly rare, which makes James Cook’s journey remarkable.

Cook’s Surprising Journey to the League

For the past six months, Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible given he was raised in England, is in his twenties, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his father and came across what he called a “weird and wonderful” sport. He began participating in his area and soon wanted to become the first NFL quarterback from Europe. He progressed to playing for Great Britain, but his plans to attend college in the US were too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys needed me, I would adjust my shifts and help out. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d show up around London and throw the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

This is where he encountered Aden Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he set up the IPP programme in that year with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Atlanta 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 remarkable guys,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from across the Pacific to get them into college football, like what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to NFL Coaching

Like his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from training international athletes to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland called unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting younger players, maximising efficiency on the practice field, collaborating with medical staff, the coach and GM. It’s a really hands-on role, which is ideal for me. My experience was working with international athletes who had never played the sport. First-year newcomers also have to build structure and routines: learning to look after their health and deal with a huge game plan. But also just being available for guys. That’s the identical everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Does being an Englishman who never compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an real one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and loads of players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the similar things and need help in the identical ways. If players understand you can help them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or what accent. And when people realize that you are invested, all the rest melts away.”

Advantages of Coming From Outside the US System

Originating from beyond the American football world has its upsides. “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 loves it. You build those bonds and form friendships. People are genuinely curious. NFL buildings are more diverse than people think. We have people from all sorts of backgrounds, a variety of upbringings. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been better at producing foreign fans than nurturing global talent. Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the Super Bowl recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have made it to the very top.

International Players and Their Paths

International athletes have typically been kickers, brought in from other football codes. Howfield exchanged playing up front for Watford and Fulham for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in St Albans to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and did not educated in the US college system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.

Oyelola, a Londoner who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before discovering the sport at university, has achieved that. He played in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Steelers.

Maximilian Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the Italian was obviously not suited for his preferred games, soccer and the sport, so took up American football in his teenage years. He impressed while representing clubs in Austria and Europe, as well as the national side, and was given a place on the IPP in that year.

The following year, he held the championship trophy as a part of the LA Rams training team. Pircher subsequently had periods on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in every locker room but is yet to see game time on the gridiron. Is being a international player still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. At first, they ask: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a very inclusive culture, a great team, a great organization.”

Although spending most of training with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his clubs. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently close-knit because we are a group and united, but we have mates from all positions. My close friend, Landen Akers – my best man, in fact – was a wide receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for two years at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defenders, specialists: we’ve have to be there for each other.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is conscious he symbolizes more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say every nation outside the US. The better every IPP graduate performs, the greater number of youth who participate in Italy, in Europe, anywhere, can realize: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can get somewhere.’ I have a lot of youngsters hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to experience what I’ve achieved.”

The IPP graduates are all invited to Florida annually to coach the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Almost all of us come back