These Players and Coaches Not Born in the USA
Although the United States is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is still led by American-born athletes. Only 5% of players are born abroad, and most of them step into the sport by going to college in the United States. True international figures are unusual, and foreign coaches are particularly rare, which makes James Cook’s story remarkable.
Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League
Cook has been in charge of player development at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he was raised in Surrey, is in his late 20s, and never played pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a 12-year-old while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he called a “weird and wonderful” game. He began participating locally and soon aspired to become the first-ever NFL QB born in Europe. He progressed to playing for Great Britain, but his dreams to go to college in the US were financially prohibitive.
“I was scooping popcorn, cleaning seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people needed me, I would switch my shifts and assist. As a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could pass. So when they trained with players, I’d appear around London and toss the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d often get me lunch.”
This is where he met Durde, who had stints with the Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he established the International Player Pathway program in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the staff at the Falcons, becoming the first UK full-time coach in NFL history, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, working with some remarkable guys,” he recalls. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I traveled to Australia to train younger players from around the Pacific to introduce them to the US college system, similar to what I wanted to do.”
Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL
Like Durde before him, Cook made the jump from working with foreign players to joining the NFL. “Cleveland called unexpectedly,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position supporting younger players, optimizing efficiency on the training ground, collaborating with physios, the head coach and GM. It’s a really active position, which is ideal for me. My experience was working with players from abroad who had not played the sport. Rookie newcomers also have to establish habits and schedules: how to look after their health and handle a massive game plan. But also just being present for guys. That’s the identical across the board. And I enjoy that.”
Does being an Englishman who never play in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an real one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso jokes and loads of players call me ‘mate’ as they love that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘garbage can’ not ‘bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the similar things and require support in the identical ways. If players know you can assist them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or how you speak. And when players realize that you are invested, all the other stuff fades.”
Advantages of Being Outside the NFL Bubble
Coming from beyond the American football world has its advantages. “I addressed 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 enjoys it. You build those bonds and build relationships. People are genuinely curious. NFL buildings are more diverse than many think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a variety of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so lean into it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”
The NFL has been more successful at producing foreign fans than developing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Sydney who claimed the championship recently with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the elite level.
International Athletes and Their Paths
Foreign players have usually been kickers, brought in from different sports. Howfield exchanged soccer for Watford and Fulham for becoming a kicker for the Broncos and Jets; Mick Luckhurst graduated from rugby in England to the Atlanta Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a special teams player and did not trained in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.
Ayo Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s academy before finding American football at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He competed in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.
Maximilian Pircher’s story is equally unlikely. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the from Italy was obviously not suited for his favoured sports, football and the sport, so took up American football in his late teens. He impressed while representing clubs in Austria and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was given a place on the IPP in 2021.
A year later, he had his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a part of the Rams practice squad. Pircher subsequently had spells on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Minnesota Vikings at the end of August. He has been popular in each team but is hasn’t had game time on the gridiron. Is being a foreigner still a challenge?
“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” notes the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they ask: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Vikings have a very inclusive environment, a excellent squad, a great franchise.”
Although spending most of practice with his fellow offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is consistently close-knit because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have friends from all positions. My close friend, Akers – my wedding witness, actually – played receiver at the Rams. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we lived together for two years at the Rams. QBs, defenders, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”
Inspiring the Future
Pircher is aware he symbolizes more than just his home countries. “I would say every nation outside the United States. The better each one of us does, the more youth who participate in Europe, in Germany, anywhere, can see: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a many kids hitting me up, 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 next wave of potential NFL outsiders. “Almost all of us come back
