Jordan Mailata, an Australian rugby player turned NFL OT, once earned a mere $200 for a win in the sport he loved. Fast-forward through an extraordinary journey of grit and grind, and you find him at the line of battle for the Philadelphia Eagles in the most watched sports event in America—the Super Bowl.
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His recent appearance on Travis and Jason Kelce’s podcast reveals the layers of his stunning transformation from rugby player to NFL starter. Jordan discloses more about his journey, which is redefining career leaps. On the podcast, he opened up about the early struggles and odd jobs that sustained his rugby career.
While on the podcast, Jason asked, “How were you first discovered? How did the NFL find out about Jordan Mailata?” Jordan candidly recounted his rugby days, where wins were less about glory and more about survival. He replied,
“I had to pay my way to fund rugby as well because I wasn’t getting paid much rugby; I was getting $200 for a win and $100 for a loss.”
He painted a picture of a time when scaffolding and stage-building were just as crucial to his life as any game. He explained that he worked in construction to help pay bills as his rugby income wasn’t enough. While he felt that the last rugby season he played was a pretty good one, the “Rugby league teams didn’t agree” and so his agency connected him with the International Player Pathway Program. Further explaining his way to the NFL, he added,
“I had no idea what the hell I was doing; I just knew I was going to LA to workout for a program that might get you to the NFL.”
But the heart of his story beats with a call to the NFL—a call that had him bound for Los Angeles with hopes as high as his situation.
Jordan Mailata’s Halftime Hits and Misses
On a lighter note, Mailata didn’t hold back his opinions on the Super Bowl’s entertainment spectacle. While talking about his experience watching NFL games while he was still a rugby player, he revealed that he would only watch the Super Bowl. He said,
“I would watch the Super Bowls, but half the time I watched them because of half-time performances like legit.”
When asked about his favorite halftime performance, he didn’t hesitate to praise the electrifying synergy of Beyonce and Bruno Mars while humorously throwing shade at Coldplay’s inclusion. His “miss” was the fact that Coldplay was there between the two megastars. He quickly backtracked when asked if he was bashing Coldplay, and said that he actually loves Coldplay, and in fact, Coldplay “carried the whole show.”
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Jordan Mailata’s story is proof of where determination can take you, from a $200 paycheck in rugby to making NFL blocks worth millions. The Samoan athlete moved to the States at the age of 20, under the pathway program. He was drafted by the Eagles in 2018 as the seventh-round pick and eventually made his debut in 2020 against the 49ers.
Since then the ascension has been quick and remarkable, as he nabbed a $64M contract after his rookie contract was over, got named an NFC Pro Bowl alternate last season, and helped the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl. His success and his 230cm frame have seen him frequently described as a human “wrecking ball.”
