These Players and Trainers Born Outside in the USA
Although the US is a country of newcomers, the National Football League is largely led by US-born athletes. Just five percent of players are born abroad, and the majority of them step into the game by attending college in the United States. Genuine international figures are unusual, and foreign coaches are especially rare, which makes James Cook’s journey remarkable.
James Cook’s Unlikely Journey to the League
Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Cleveland Browns. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible considering he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and did not participated in pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his dad and stumbled upon what he described as a “weird and wonderful” game. He started playing in his area and soon wanted to become the first NFL quarterback from Europe. He progressed to representing Team GB, but his plans to attend college in the US were financially prohibitive.
“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Whenever the NFL guys needed me, I would switch 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 wasn’t paid, but they’d usually buy me lunch.”
It was here that he encountered Aden Durde, who had stints with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs during his career before he established the International Player Pathway programme in that year with two-time championship winner Umenyiora. When Durde became part of the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first British permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook took over the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching 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 younger players from around the Pacific region to introduce them to college football, similar to what I wanted to do.”
Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL
Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from training foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “Cleveland called out of the blue,” he explains. “They had a multi-faceted position assisting rookies, optimizing efficiency on the practice field, working closely with physios, the head coach and GM. It’s a really hands-on position, which is perfect for me. My experience was working with international athletes who had not played the sport. First-year rookies also have to build habits and routines: learning to take care of their body and deal with a huge game plan. But also just being available for players. That’s the identical everywhere. And I enjoy that.”
Does being an Englishman who did not play in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an real one,” states Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style comments and loads of players call me ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the same things and require help in the identical ways. If players understand you can assist them, they don’t care about your origin or what accent. And when players know that you are invested, all the other stuff fades.”
Advantages of Coming From Outside the NFL Bubble
Originating from beyond the NFL bubble has its advantages. “I addressed in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our linemen asked me about rugby with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and form friendships. Teammates are truly curious. NFL organizations are varied than many think. We have people from all sorts of backgrounds, a variety of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Stand out – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”
The NFL has been better at attracting international supporters than developing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player from Australia who claimed the championship recently with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP graduates to have risen to the very top.
Foreign Players and Their Paths
International athletes have usually been specialists, recruited from different sports. Howfield swapped soccer for Watford and Fulham for becoming a kicker for the Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst transitioned from rugby in St Albans to the Falcons team. If you do not want to be a special teams player and were not trained in the US college system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.
Oyelola, a native of London who was part of Chelsea’s youth team before finding the sport at university, has made that step. He played in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the Jaguars and Steelers.
Pircher’s experience is equally improbable. At 6ft 7in and 23 stone, the Italian was obviously not suited for his preferred games, soccer and handball, so started American football in his late teens. He stood out while playing for clubs in Austria and Europe, as well as the Italy team, and was given a spot on the IPP in 2021.
A year later, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams training team. Pircher went on to have periods on the fringes at the Detroit Lions, Seahawks and Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the late summer. He has been well-liked in each team but is hasn’t had game time on the gridiron. Is being a international player still a challenge?
“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” says the player. “We have players from various regions, so it doesn’t really matter. Initially, they ask: ‘You got an accent – what’s your background?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Minnesota have a very inclusive environment, a great squad, a top franchise.”
Despite spending the majority of practice with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the social mix at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is always very tight because we are a unit and united, but we have mates from every position group. My close friend, Akers – my wedding witness, in fact – was a wide 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, specialists: we’ve got to be supportive.”
Inspiring the Future
Pircher is conscious he represents more than just Italy and Austria. “In my view every nation outside the United States. The better every IPP graduate performs, the greater number of youth who participate in Italy, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘It can be done – if I dedicate myself every day, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of 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 come back