Coaching lineages are a staple of NFL culture, and Aden Durde is quietly building his own branch of that heritage as the British figure who helped bring a Super Bowl ring to the international side of the sport. One of the protégés benefiting from Durde’s mentorship is former quarterback-turned-coach George Reynolds. The most recent conversation I had with Reynolds dates back to 2020, when he was still the inaugural starting quarterback for the pioneering NFL Academy.
At that time he was also among a select group of ten players who had just taken part in the NFL Pro Bowl skills competitions in Orlando, pitting themselves against top American high‑school talent. After that experience, Reynolds headed north to the University of Ottawa, where he continued to hone his football abilities. He eventually pivoted toward coaching, dividing his time between duties at the Academy, involvement in the International Player Pathway (IPP) program, and a stint with the Baltimore Ravens during the previous offseason.
"I always knew coaching was something I wanted to do," Reynolds told Sky Sports. "As an international player, the route to America felt like a massive barrier. I wanted to tear down that wall for the guys who follow me, because I’ve lived through the whole process.
If I can give someone a better shot than I had, that’s a win for me. That’s really what sparked my interest in coaching, and the more time I spend at the Academy, the more I grow in that role. It’s inspired me to aim higher – I believe I can succeed at the highest level." Durde, who made history as the first British coordinator to win a Super Bowl in February, has long spoken about creating a domino effect from his unlikely rise, predicting that more coaches with similar backgrounds will soon emerge.
"I try to mirror what he’s done in my own journey because he was relentless," Reynolds explained about Durde’s ascent. "Every opportunity he got—whether it was an internship or a coaching position—he seized, learned, and moved forward. He was ruthless in the best sense; he knew his worth and went after the jobs he deserved.
That’s exactly where I want to be. He’s been a fantastic mentor, and we keep in touch. He’s recently given me advice on the steps I need to take and the materials I should prepare to give myself the best chance of coaching at the next level." Reynolds’ transition into coaching began after returning from Canada when he reached out to his former Kent Exiles teammate James Cook, now Senior Director of Player Development for the Cleveland Browns.
Cook helped arrange a role for Reynolds at an IPP combine in London. "That was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up," Reynolds recalled. "I showed up at 6 a.m., was the first at the table, and stayed until 11 p.m. doing whatever was needed.
I wanted to prove my value in any way I could." That dedication opened the door to a position as assistant tight‑ends coach for the IPP program—Durde’s brainchild—stateside, eventually leading to his current role as wide‑receiver and tight‑ends coach at the Loughborough‑based NFL Academy. "I worked with Steve Hagan, who is now the head coach of the Academy," 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 Coach Hagan moved to Europe to take the Academy’s head‑coaching job, he called me right away and asked me to join his staff." Reynolds was part of the Academy’s inaugural class when it launched in 2019, helping to lay the groundwork for a program that now offers unprecedented pathways for international athletes seeking U.S. college scholarships and professional opportunities. To date, more than 40 students have earned U.S. college football scholarships, and 28 alumni are playing Division I football in the 2025‑2026 season.
The current roster showcases 20 nationalities, drawing athletes from a variety of sporting backgrounds—some learning the game from scratch, others arriving in the U.K. for the first time. The Academy’s multicultural makeup demands a unique coaching approach.
"You have to learn to communicate in a completely different way to someone who’s played football for a decade," Reynolds noted. "If I can teach the language of football to a kid from Nigeria who’s never seen a ball, or to an Australian who comes from a rugby background, it actually simplifies coaching later on when you work with players who already understand the game. It adds a valuable layer to my skill set." Reynolds also spent the previous offseason 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. "That was one of the most valuable experiences of my career," he said.
"Being around pro players, hearing how they teach the game, and building connections that I still maintain today gave me a clear picture of the standards required to coach at the NFL level. It also gave me a stepping stone—if my name becomes recognized in those buildings, more doors will open when I’m ready for the next step." "I love coaching at the Academy and could see myself staying there forever if the circumstances were right," Reynolds added. "But as I grow, I want to move to a college program or an NFL team and make an impact.
I’ve told several people that my goal is to help teams win. If that means drafting plays for the first year, I’m ready to do it. I just need to be in the right environment with the right staff to keep developing." Reynolds’ time in Baltimore came through a Bill Walsh internship—a route similar to how Durde, after interning with the Dallas Cowboys in 2014‑15, earned his first NFL coaching job with the Atlanta Falcons in 2016.
Durde later served as the Dallas defensive‑line coach, then as Seattle’s defensive coordinator under Mike Macdonald in 2024, where he helped craft one of the league’s most feared defenses en route to a Super Bowl victory and earned head‑coaching interview opportunities this offseason. "It’s not a surprise at all," Reynolds observed of Durde’s trajectory. "What many don’t see is how hard he’s worked to get where he is.
He’s been an advocate for international football, traveling everywhere, coaching, and building a reputation. That’s the inspiration for my own path. He always told me to show my value—bring something to the organization, be hardworking, and prove you’re the right fit." Durde’s story demonstrates that deep football knowledge and expertise can be cultivated far beyond U.S.
borders. Reynolds stands among the brightest of the new generation of coaches eager to leave their mark on an increasingly global game, following in the footsteps of mentors like Durde and forging their own legacy for the next wave of international talent.