These Athletes and Coaches Born Outside in the USA
Although the US is a nation of newcomers, the National Football League is still dominated by American-born players. Only five percent of participants are foreign-born, and most of them step into the sport by going to college in the United States. True international figures are rare, and coaches from abroad are particularly scarce, which makes James Cook’s story exceptional.
Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League
Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. That’s an accomplishment in itself, but it’s extraordinary considering he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and never played professional sport. Cook first saw the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his father and came across what he called a “strange and amazing” sport. He started playing in his area and quickly aspired to become the first-ever NFL QB from Europe. He got as far as representing Team GB, but his dreams to attend college in the US were financially prohibitive.
“I was scooping popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, handling a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL people wanted me, I would adjust my shifts and help out. Being a quarterback, the key skill I had was I could throw. So when they trained with players, I’d appear all over London and toss the ball to them. I didn’t get paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”
It was here that he encountered Durde, who had periods with the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his playing days before he established the IPP programme in that year with two-time championship winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the coaching team at the Falcons, becoming the first-ever UK full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting guys,” he says. “We had Louis Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by the Bills; Charlie Smyth, the kicker from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I went to Down Under to work with younger players from around the Pacific to get them into the US college system, like what I had hoped to do.”
Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL
Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook transitioned from working with foreign players to joining the NFL. “Cleveland called out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a hybrid role supporting rookies, optimizing efficiency on the training ground, working closely with medical staff, the coach and GM. It’s a really active role, which is ideal for me. My background was guiding players from abroad who had never played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to build habits and schedules: how to look after their body and handle a massive playbook. But also just being present for players. That’s the identical across the board. And I love that.”
Does being an Englishman who never compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s largely a perceived hurdle than an real one,” says Cook. “I get a lot of Lasso-style comments and loads of players call me ‘bruv’ as they love 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 require 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 realize that you are invested, all the rest melts away.”
Advantages of Being Beyond the US System
Coming from outside the American football world has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the entire team soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he loves it. You make those connections and form friendships. Teammates are genuinely intrigued. NFL organizations are varied than people think. We have staff from all sorts of origins, a variety of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”
The NFL has been more successful at producing international supporters than developing 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 very top.
International Athletes and Their Journeys
Foreign players have usually been specialists, recruited from different sports. Bobby Howfield exchanged playing up front for Watford and Fulham for becoming a placekicker for the Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in St Albans to the Falcons team. 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 advance to the NFL.
Ayo Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s academy before finding the sport at Nottingham University, has achieved that. He played in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers.
Pircher’s experience is just as unlikely. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the from Italy was obviously not built for his preferred games, soccer and the sport, so started American football in his late teens. He stood out while representing clubs in Europe and Germany, as well as the national side, and was offered a place on the IPP in that year.
The following year, he held the Vince Lombardi 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 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 gridiron. Is his status as a foreigner still a challenge?
“It isn’t difficult, not an obstacle,” says the 26-year-old. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. Initially, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a very inclusive environment, a excellent team, a great franchise.”
Despite spending the majority of practice with his fellow linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the social mix at his clubs. “Naturally the offensive line is consistently very tight because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have friends from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my best man, actually – played receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Green Bay, Matt Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for a while at the Rams. QBs, defensive linemen, specialists: we’ve have to be there for each other.”
Motivating the Next Generation
Pircher is conscious he symbolizes not only his home countries. “I would say all the countries outside the US. The more successful every IPP graduate does, the greater number of young people who play football in Europe, in Europe, wherever, can realize: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself every day, I can get somewhere.’ I have a many kids hitting me up, seeking tips. It’s nice to encourage them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”
The program alumni are welcomed to the US annually to coach the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Almost all of us return
