Jordan Mailata, the giant rugby convert hailing from Australia, drew plenty of cheers Down Under on Sunday as he spoke of his “crazy, crazy journey so far” after making history by becoming the first Australian to claim a Super Bowl victory.
The hulking offensive tackle, taking part in his second NFL championship decider, played no small part in the Philadelphia Eagles’ stunning win over the Kansas City Chiefs in this year’s showpiece game held in New Orleans, as the Guardian reports.
Mailata’s journey from humble beginnings in Sydney’s south-west to the pinnacle of world sport was completed, as he helped the Eagles to a one-sided 40-22 win over the Chiefs, whose hopes of securing a three-peat were dashed in spectacular fashion.
HISTORY MADE. 🇦🇺
— NFL Australia & NZ (@NFLAUNZ) February 10, 2025
Congratulations, @jordan_mailata! 👏 #SBLIX | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/ua3VtnTASk
“You have got to want to be more physical,” Mailata told Fox Sports NFL. “That was a great defense we were going up against so we knew we had to answer that call. And that ain’t easy, you have to have the want to.”
Mailata’s performance in the game was lauded, and former Detroit Lions quarterback and ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky said the Australian’s influence would be felt beyond the field of play.
“Think about all the kids back in Australia,” he said. “Now, you might not be gifted with the god-given ability to be 6ft 9in, 350lbs and move like that, but for a guy to come from [Australia], come over here and have the career he has, it does give hope to a young kid that maybe says ‘I want to be the next Jordan Mailata’.”
The Guardian report notes three other Australians have appeared in a Super Bowl – Ben Graham for Arizona in 2009, San Francisco’s Mitch Wishnowsky a year later and Arryn Siposs, Mailata’s teammate in the 2022 decider.
Mailata is not the first Australian to own a Super Bowl ring – Jesse Williams picked up one with the Seattle Seahawks in 2013 but, having been sidelined all that season through injury, he did not take to the field in his side’s 43-8 hammering of the Denver Broncos.
Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates a touchdown with Jordan Mailata #68 in the third quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome on February 09, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
The NFL is expanding its international footprint to Australia so Mailata’s triumph is even more welcome.
The league announced it will be playing a game in 2026 in Melbourne at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, a venue that holds about 100,000 spectators.
The Los Angeles Rams will be the home team for that game, part of a multi-year commitment to play in Melbourne.
The NFL has yet to confirm their opponent, but reports indicate it could be the Philadelphia Eagles — as CBS Sports reports, the Eagles and Rams have international marketing rights for Australia and New Zealand.
