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Sport Nation
How Mailata can become a top 10 Aussie athlete with a historical Super Bowl victory
Gerard Whateley • February 6th, 2025 1:23 pm
We’ve spent some time tailing Jordan Mailata to fully appreciate his place with the Philadelphia Eagles and indeed the League more broadly.
The 27-year-old rugby league convert is an immense presence and not just in stature.
This was rammed home when Colin Cowherd had him as the second-most important player in the Conference Championship Game the Eagles won to qualify for the Super Bowl.
“Jordan Mailata is the highest-rated offensive tackle in the NFL, offensive tackles matter a lot, more than interior linemen,” Cowherd said on Fox Sports’ The Herd.
“He’s had one sack allowed for the season.”
Mailata is in the top five paid players in his position across the League and he plays to status.
At Opening Night for the Super Bowl festivities, he was one of 10 players who had his own booth where the questions came relentlessly for an hour. The same at the hotel media session yesterday.
He’s a heavy man with a light touch and a wonderful nature. His sense of humour charms the Americans.
He has the serious strategic questions covered, but also the novelty of players not understanding his accent and the lack of tailgating back home. He couldn’t be more impressive to observe.
Mailata is one of four Australians to play in a Super Bowl… the quest goes on to be the first to play in a winning team and collect the ring.
Should that happen his place on our Australian sporting landscape will soar, any diligent list would have him in the top 10.
If the Eagles win on Sunday, I reckon he’s behind only Olympic gold medallists and Formula One drivers on the international pecking order.
He is without question the most significant Australian player in NFL history, and history beckons that he might be the first to taste the ultimate victory.
