These Athletes and Trainers Not Born in the United States

Although the United States is a nation of newcomers, the NFL is largely dominated by US-born players. Just five percent of participants are foreign-born, and most of them step into the sport by going to college in the United States. Genuine international figures are unusual, and coaches from abroad are particularly scarce, which renders James Cook’s journey exceptional.

Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the NFL

Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he grew up in England, is in his twenties, and never played professional sport. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while surfing channels with his father and came across what he described as a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing in his area and soon wanted to become the first-ever NFL quarterback born in Europe. He progressed to representing Team GB, but his plans to go to college in the US were too expensive.

“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, handling a bit of everything. Any time the NFL people wanted me, I would adjust my shifts and help out. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d appear around London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”

This is where he met Aden Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Chiefs during his career before he established the IPP program in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first UK full-time coach in NFL history, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable guys,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I went to Australia to work with aspiring athletes from around the Pacific region to get them into college football, like what I had hoped to do.”

Transitioning to NFL Coaching

Like his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “The Browns called unexpectedly,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting younger players, maximising efficiency on the training ground, collaborating with physios, the head coach and general manager. It’s a really active position, which is perfect for me. My background was guiding international athletes who had not played the sport. First-year newcomers also have to build structure and schedules: how to look after their health and handle a huge game plan. But also just being available for guys. That’s the identical everywhere. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Englishman who did not play in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a imagined barrier than an actual one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and loads of players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the same things and need help in the same ways. If players understand you can assist them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or how you speak. And when people realize that you are invested, all the other stuff fades.”

Advantages of Being Outside the US System

Coming from beyond the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our linemen asked me about the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and form friendships. Teammates are truly intrigued. NFL organizations are varied than many think. We have staff from all sorts of backgrounds, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so lean into it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

The NFL has been more successful at attracting foreign fans than nurturing global talent. Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Sydney who claimed the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is among the rare IPP graduates to have made it to the elite level.

Foreign Athletes and Their Paths

International athletes have usually been kickers, recruited from other football codes. Howfield swapped playing up front for English clubs for being a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in England to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and were not educated in the American system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.

Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s academy before finding American football at university, has achieved that. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pircher’s experience is just as improbable. At over two meters and heavyweight, the from Italy was obviously not built for his favoured sports, soccer and the sport, so took up the NFL 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 2021.

The following year, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have spells on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in every locker room but is hasn’t had game time on the field. Is his status as a foreigner still a challenge?

“It’s not really 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 got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a very welcoming culture, a excellent team, a great organization.”

Despite devoting the majority of training with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his teams. “Obviously the O-line is consistently close-knit because we are a unit and united, but we have friends from all positions. My close friend, Landen Akers – my best man, actually – was a receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for a while at the Rams. QBs, defenders, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”

Motivating the Future

Pircher is conscious he represents not only Italy and Austria. “I would say every nation beyond the United States. The better every IPP graduate performs, the greater number of youth who play football in Europe, in Europe, anywhere, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in every day, I can succeed.’ I have a many youngsters hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to experience what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are all invited to the US annually to train the new group of potential NFL internationals. “Almost all of us come back