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Former rugby league prospect going to the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles
Former South Sydney Rabbitohs prospect Jordan Mailata is on his way to his first Super Bowl after the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the San Francisco 49ers 31-7 in the NFC Championship game.
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He was officially the biggest player on the field standing at 6’8 and reportedly weighing in at 165kg, playing a pivotal role in the NFC Championship.
The Eagles’ run game decimated the 49ers with four rushing touchdowns on the back of a strong blocking performance from the offensive line.
During the Eagles post-season run, Mailata has given up no sacks on 70 offensive snaps according to Pro Football Focus and finished with a position grade of 76.5 on the season.
During the regular season, in which Philadelphia finished with the number one seed in the conference after a 14-3 record, the Australian gave up just six sacks on 1024 snaps, tied for 15th best in the league of all lineman.
The Australian-raised former league player’s journey to the NFL started five years ago when he gave up on his rugby league dream to pursue a chance in the US through the International Player Pathway Program after scouts saw his rugby league type and were impressed with his size.
The 25-year-old now has the chance to compete on one of sport’s biggest stages, the Super Bowl, as the offensive tackle for the Eagles protecting star quarterback Jalen Hurts on the blindside.
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The incredible rise is a remarkable journey for a player who never played a down of American football until his departure from Australia, whilst only ever watching one game a year, the Super Bowl.
With no high school football or collegiate level experience, the Eagles spent a late round draft pick on Mailata in 2018 which has proved to be a wise investment as the Australian has developed into a starting left tackle.
After securing the starting left tackle position ahead of the 2021 season, the Eagles handed Mailata a four-year $64 million contract extension and he made his first Pro Bowl this season.
Mailata’s story is truly one of the more remarkable examples of NFL success, going from a lowly paid rugby league prospect on ‘train and trial’ deals to becoming one of the highest paid lineman in the NFL, and now a Super Bowl.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Finals are always tense affairs for the players so I do not expect this to be a spectacle of running rugby unfortunately.
1 Go to commentsBulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
83 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
1 Go to commentsGood player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
3 Go to commentsWell one thing about World Cup knock out rounds and Ireland is very clear: they won’t be getting ahead of themselves in ‘27! Because making it beyond the QF is well and truly ‘IN THEIR HEADS’ now…😉
83 Go to commentsHas this guy been dope tested? Sounds like a case of “roid rage”.
1 Go to commentsI would like to see him say that to Eben face to face in a dark alley.
83 Go to commentsYep, lost in translation. There are arrogant people in Ireland, yes. As there are arrogant people in every country, but as a nation, arrogance is not a general characteristic in Ireland. There has not really had a strong representation for any global sport over the years, and hence arrogance is not endemic to Irish people in this regard. I seriously doubt that was said or meant by 12 or 13 players. If it was said, it would have been said in jest and to pay Etzebeth and the Springboks a compliment for how hard fought the game was.
83 Go to commentsOne of the few Bidwell articles I can agree with. If coaches played their players through niggles and consistently played them 80mins then you could make an argument for resting protocols - they obviously don’t and are incredibly responsible, let’s give up the resting nonsense and let the boys play.
4 Go to commentsDaniel Gallan, please for the love of all that is holy, stop writing about rugby. Or at the very least stop telling people you are South African.
21 Go to commentsThis Dr.Rassie 6-2 filth is spreading. We need to ask World Rugby to ban something
1 Go to commentsPity he couldn’t call him a liar to his face, such a brave man.
83 Go to comments“You ain’t counting to 12 or 13 straight after a game, son!” Just because you don’t doesn’t mean everyone else doesn’t “I reckon if anyone said it they would have said, ‘Hopefully, see you in the final’.” Oh, you “reckon”, do you? You weren’t there, you weren’t part of the conversation but you know what was said… Id10T
83 Go to comments