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Although the United States is a country of newcomers, the National Football League is largely led by US-born athletes. Just 5% of participants are foreign-born, and most of them step into the game by going to college in the United States. True outsiders are unusual, and coaches from abroad are especially rare, which makes James Cook’s story remarkable.

Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League

Cook has been in control of player development at the Browns organization. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he grew up in Surrey, is in his twenties, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his dad and came across what he described as a “strange and amazing” game. He began participating locally and quickly wanted to become the first-ever NFL quarterback from Europe. He progressed to playing for Great Britain, but his dreams to attend university in the US proved financially prohibitive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys wanted me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. 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.”

It was here that he encountered 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 Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Atlanta Falcons, making history as the first British full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I had a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable guys,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who got drafted by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from Ireland who’s now with the Saints. I went to Australia to train younger players from across the Pacific to introduce them to the US college system, similar to what I wanted to do.”

Making the Leap to NFL Coaching

Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from training foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting rookies, optimizing time on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the coach and GM. It’s a really active role, which is ideal for me. My background was working with international athletes who had not played the game. First-year rookies also have to build habits and routines: learning to look after their health and deal with a huge game plan. But also just being present for players. That’s the same everywhere. And I love that.”

Does being an Brit who did not compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a imagined hurdle than an real one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style jokes and many players call me ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I say ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the similar things and require help in the identical ways. If players know you can assist them, they don’t care where you’re from or how you speak. And when people realize that you care, all the other stuff fades.”

Advantages of Being Outside the US System

Originating from outside the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I addressed in front of the entire team very early on, and, as we left, one of our linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and build relationships. People are truly curious. NFL buildings are varied than people think. We have people from all sorts of origins, a range of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been better at attracting international supporters than nurturing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Australia who claimed the Super Bowl earlier this year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the elite level.

International Players and Their Paths

International athletes have usually been kickers, brought in from different sports. Bobby Howfield exchanged playing up front for English clubs for becoming a kicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby union in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you do not want to be a kicker and did not educated in the American system, it’s very challenging to advance to the NFL.

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

Pircher’s experience is equally unlikely. At over two meters and 23 stone, the Italian was obviously not built for his preferred games, soccer and the sport, so started the NFL in his late teens. He stood out while playing for clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was given a place on the IPP in 2021.

A year later, he held the championship trophy as a part of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had periods on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the late summer. He has been popular in every locker room but is yet to see game time on the gridiron. Is his status as a international player still a hurdle?

“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from various regions, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they ask: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, after we have that figured out, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a really welcoming environment, a excellent team, a great franchise.”

Despite devoting the majority of practice with his other linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his teams. “Naturally the O-line is consistently close-knit because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have mates from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my wedding witness, actually – played receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Packers, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for a while at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve have to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Future

Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just Italy and Austria. “I would say every nation beyond the United States. The better each one of us does, the greater number of young people who participate in Italy, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I put the work in every day, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, seeking tips. It’s nice to encourage them to experience what I’ve experienced.”

The IPP graduates are welcomed to the US annually to train the new group of potential NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us come back