Aden Durde has become a household name in the NFL’s growing international narrative, and his influence is now spawning a new generation of British football minds. One of those protégés is George Reynolds, a former quarterback turned coach whose journey mirrors the challenges and triumphs of crossing the Atlantic to chase the American game. The last time I caught up with Reynolds was back in 2020.
At that point he was the inaugural starting quarterback for the groundbreaking NFL Academy, a program designed to give European talent a pathway to the United States. He was also among a select group of ten players who travelled to Orlando to compete in the NFL Pro Bowl skills challenges against American high‑school stand‑outs. Those early experiences set the tone for a career that would soon pivot from playing to coaching.
After his stint at the Academy, Reynolds earned a scholarship to the University of Ottawa in Canada, where he continued to hone his football IQ. However, his passion for the strategic side of the game soon eclipsed his desire to stay on the field. Upon returning to Europe he began splitting his time between the Academy and the International Player Pathway (IPP) program, eventually landing a coveted role with the Baltimore Ravens during the most recent offseason. "I always knew coaching was the direction I wanted to go," Reynolds told Sky Sports.
"As an international player, the road to America felt like a massive wall. I wanted to knock that wall down for the guys who come after me. If I can give someone a better opportunity than I had, that’s a win for everyone. That’s why I got into coaching and why I keep growing in the role.
I feel ready to operate at the highest level now." Durde, who made history as the first British defensive coordinator to win a Super Bowl in February, has long spoken about creating a domino effect—using his own unlikely ascent as a blueprint for others. Reynolds sees himself as a direct extension of that vision. "I try to emulate what Aden has done," Reynolds explained.
"He was relentless. Every internship, every coaching gig, he seized, learned from, and then leveraged into the next opportunity.
He was unapologetically ambitious, and that’s exactly where I want to be. He’s also been a fantastic mentor; we stay in touch, and he’s given me concrete advice on the steps I need to take and the materials I should prepare to get my foot in the door at the next level." The transition from player to coach began when Reynolds returned from Canada and reached out to his former Kent Exiles teammate James Cook, now Senior Director of Player Development for the Cleveland Browns. Cook offered him a role assisting at an IPP combine in London, a chance Reynolds seized without hesitation. "That was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up," he recalled.
"I was up at 6 a.m., the first person at the table, ready to help wherever needed. I stayed until 11 p.m., doing whatever tasks were thrown my way. That work ethic opened doors for me." His dedication paid off when he was appointed assistant tight‑ends coach for the IPP program in the United States—a program originally conceived by Durde. Today Reynolds holds the position of wide‑receiver and tight‑ends coach at the Loughborough‑based NFL Academy, working under head coach Steve Hagan.
"I worked with Steve Hagan, who is now the Academy’s head coach," Reynolds said. "We coached Patrick Murtagh, who suffered an injury after signing with the Lions but still made it to the NFL a year later. When Steve moved to Europe to lead the Academy, he called me right away and asked me to join his staff." Reynolds was part of the Academy’s inaugural class in 2019, helping to lay the foundation for a program that has since produced more than 40 U.S. college scholarships and 28 Division‑I athletes in the 2025‑2026 season.
The current roster features athletes from 20 different nationalities, many of whom are learning American football for the first time or have just arrived in the UK from other sports such as rugby. "Coaching such a diverse group forces you to communicate in a completely new way," Reynolds noted. "If I can teach the fundamentals to a kid from Nigeria who has never touched a football, or to an Australian who comes from a rugby background, I develop a universal coaching language. That makes it easier when I later work with players who already have a football foundation." Last offseason Reynolds spent time with the Baltimore Ravens, working under then‑tight‑ends coach George Godsey and offensive assistant Danny Breyer, who is now the Browns’ passing‑game coordinator.
The experience, Reynolds says, was invaluable. "Being around pro players and seeing how they teach the game was eye‑opening," he said. "The relationships I built there are still strong, and they give me a clear picture of the standard I need to meet to coach at the NFL level.
It also gives me a foothold—if my name is recognized in those circles, the next step becomes more attainable." He added, "I love coaching at the Academy and could stay forever if the circumstances were right. But as I grow, I want to move to a college or NFL team and make a tangible impact. If that means drawing up plays for a first‑year playbook, I’m ready to do it.
All I need is the right staff around me to keep pushing my development." Reynolds’ stint with Baltimore was part of a Bill Walsh internship, a route similar to Durde’s early career. Durde began as an intern with the Dallas Cowboys in 2014‑15, moved to the Atlanta Falcons in 2016, and later became the defensive line coach for Dallas before joining the Seattle Seahawks as defensive coordinator in 2024.
His rapid rise culminated in a Super Bowl victory and head‑coach interviews this offseason. "It’s not surprising to see his success," Reynolds observed. "What people often overlook is the sheer grind he put in to get there.
He’s been a tireless advocate for international football, traveling, coaching, and learning at every stop. That dedication is the blueprint for my own path." Reynolds summed up the lesson he’s taken from his mentor: "You have to constantly show your value. Organizations want hard‑working people who bring something tangible to the table.
My goal is to impress every team I work with, prove my worth, and help them win." With Durde’s story serving as proof that elite football knowledge can be cultivated outside the United States, Reynolds stands among the brightest of the new, globally‑sourced coaching cohort. His ambition, work ethic, and expanding résumé suggest he may soon add his own chapter to the ever‑growing narrative of international influence on the NFL.