The Players and Trainers Not Born in the USA
While the US is a country of newcomers, the National Football League is still dominated by American-born players. Just 5% of players are born abroad, and the majority of them step into the game by going to university in the US. True international figures are unusual, and coaches from abroad are particularly rare, which makes James Cook’s journey exceptional.
James Cook’s Surprising Journey to the League
Cook has been in control of athlete growth at the Browns organization. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible given he was raised in Surrey, is in his twenties, and never played pro sports. Cook first saw the NFL as a 12-year-old while surfing channels with his dad and came across what he called a “strange and amazing” game. He started playing locally and quickly wanted to become the first NFL quarterback from Europe. He got as far as playing for Team GB, but his plans to go to university in the US proved too expensive.
“I scooped popcorn, wiping seats, flipping burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys wanted me, I would adjust my shifts and assist. Being a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. 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 often get me lunch.”
It was here that he met Aden Durde, who had periods with the Carolina Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he established the IPP program in 2017 with two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora. When Durde joined the staff at the Falcons, making history as the first-ever UK permanent coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some really interesting players,” he recalls. “We had Rees-Zammit; Travis Clayton, who was selected by Buffalo; Charlie Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the Saints. I traveled to Australia to work with aspiring athletes from across the Pacific to get them into the US college system, like what I wanted to do.”
Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL
Like Durde before him, Cook made the jump from training international athletes to joining the NFL. “The Browns contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a hybrid role assisting rookies, optimizing efficiency on the practice field, working closely with medical staff, the coach and GM. It’s a very active role, which is perfect for me. My background was guiding players from abroad who had never played the game. First-year rookies also have to build structure and routines: learning to take care of their health and deal with a huge playbook. But also just being available for guys. That’s the identical across the board. And I enjoy that.”
Does being an Brit who did not compete in the NFL a disadvantage? “It’s largely a imagined hurdle than an real one,” says Cook. “I’ve had a lot of Lasso-style jokes and loads of players refer to me as ‘mate’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we feel anxious or under pressure about the similar things and require help in the identical ways. If players understand you can assist them, they don’t care about your origin or how you speak. And when players know that you are invested, all the other stuff fades.”
Advantages of Coming From Outside the US System
Coming from beyond the NFL bubble has its upsides. “I addressed in front of the whole squad very early on, and, as we walked out, one of our offensive linemen asked me about rugby with me as he enjoys it. You make those connections and form friendships. Teammates are genuinely intrigued. NFL buildings are varied than people think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a range of upbringings. Our saying at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are unique so embrace it.’ It’s something to be proud of.”
The NFL has been better at producing international supporters than developing foreign players. Mailata, a ex- rugby league player from Australia who claimed the championship earlier this year with the Eagles, is one of the few IPP players to have made it to the very top.
Foreign Athletes and Their Paths
Foreign players have usually been specialists, recruited from other football codes. Howfield exchanged playing up front for Watford and Fulham for becoming a kicker for the Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby in St Albans to the Falcons team. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not educated in the American system, it’s extremely difficult to make the leap to the NFL.
Oyelola, a native of London who played for Chelsea’s youth team before finding American football at university, has achieved that. He competed in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At over two meters and 23 stone, the Italian was obviously not built for his favoured sports, soccer and handball, so started American football in his late teens. He stood out while representing teams in Austria and Germany, as well as the Italy team, and was offered a spot on the IPP in that year.
A year later, he had his hands on the championship trophy as a member of the LA Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have periods on the fringes at the Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he joined the Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in each team but is yet to see action on the field. Is being a international player still a challenge?
“It’s not really difficult, not an obstacle,” says the player. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they inquire: ‘You got an accent – where are you from?’ But, after we clarify that, we’re all friends. The Minnesota have a really inclusive culture, a great team, a great franchise.”
Despite devoting the majority of practice with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has thrown himself into the team dynamics at his teams. “Naturally the O-line is consistently close-knit because we are a unit and united, but we have mates from every position group. My best friend, Akers – my best man, actually – was a receiver at the LA. The specialist from the Packers, Orzech, is a really good friend: we shared a home for a while at the LA Rams. QBs, defenders, special teams: we’ve got to be there for each other.”
Motivating the Future
Pircher is aware he symbolizes not only Italy and Austria. “In my view every nation beyond the US. The more successful each one of us performs, the greater number of young people who play football in Italy, in Germany, wherever, can see: ‘Oh it is possible – if I dedicate myself consistently, I can succeed.’ I have a lot of youngsters contacting me, asking for tips. It’s rewarding to encourage them to pursue what I’ve experienced.”
The program alumni are all invited to Florida each year to train the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us come back
