Man mountain Jordan Mailata is set to become the first Australian to play in two Super Bowls with his Philadelphia Eagles through to the NFL showcase game.
Mailata’s stunning career continued in the Eagles’ 55-23 home victory against the Washington Commanders in the NFC conference championship fixture on Sunday night (Monday AEDT).
The Eagles and Mailata, rated among the best offensive tackles in the NFL, will play the winner of the later AFC conference championship fixture between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs are chasing a rare feat of three consecutive Super Bowl wins and their fourth trophy in six seasons.
But Mailata, who played junior rugby league for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, will hope to end the Chiefs’ streak on February 9 (February 10 AEDT).
Mailata, the son of Samoan immigrants who was born in Bankstown in Sydney, played in the Eagles’ 38-35 loss to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl two years ago but returns to the biggest stage in American football
Momma Mailata may not appreciate his language, but Jordan Mailata is the perfect leader of this team, and I’d run thru a brick wall for this man pic.twitter.com/nzxiQEpiUu
— Phil Stiefel (@Beardaknowledge) January 23, 2025 
Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata embraces Washington Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu after the NFC Championship NFL football game
Mailata is hoping to erase the pain of losing a Super Bowl in his second crack at the big dance
Last April, Mailata signed a three-year, $US66 million contract extension that included a $US20m signing bonus to remain with the Eagles through to 2028.
The 27-year-old, who is 2.03 metres tall and weighs 166 kilograms, is the fourth Australian to play in a Super Bowl following punters Ben Graham (Arizona, 2009), Mitch Wishnowsky (San Francisco, 2020) and Arryn Siposs, who was Mailata’s Eagles teammate in their 2023 defeat.
But one Australian does have a Super Bowl ring: Jesse Williams was on the Seattle Seahawks roster in their 2014 triumph but didn’t play during the season because of injury.
Mailata’s stocks have risen annually since he was selected by the Eagles in the 2018 draft – he joined the NFL via the league’s International Pathway Program and was taken by Philadelphia in the seventh round, as 233rd overall pick.
Such has been his impact this season, there was outcry when Mailata was overlooked for selection for the Pro Bowl, the annual all stars game.
Mailata shrugged off the controversy, earlier this month saying: ‘That’s out of my control.
‘But I will say this: It’s not something that I prioritise or look forward to.
‘And another thing is, when I look back from where I was last year to where I am this year, I know I’m on the right path.
‘But we got bigger goals.’
His teammate and right offensive tackle Lane Johnson, picked for the Pro Bowl for the sixth time, was less diplomatic.
‘Jordan is the best left tackle footballer this year, definitely think he’s All-Pro – it’s the best season he’s had,’ Johnson said.
