Jordan Mailata, the Philadelphia Eagles' left tackle, has become a testament to unconventional paths to success in the NFL. Having never played football prior to being drafted, Mailata's journey from a rugby player to one of the NFL's richest left tackles is noteworthy. The Eagles took a chance on him with a 7th-round pick, despite his lack of collegiate football experience. Under the mentorship of Jason Peters, Mailata developed his skills and eventually secured the starting position over first-round pick Andre Dillard. His recent contract extension now positions him to earn over $100M in career earnings. Mailata's story is not just about his financial success but also his desire to be judged on his merits as a player, rather than his background as a former rugby player. His journey reflects a broader conversation about the possibilities for athletes from diverse backgrounds to make it in the NFL.
Jordan Mailata reflects on his journey from ‘humble beginnings’ to one of the NFL’s richest left tackles. @ReinerOlivia: https://t.co/VPve86uGG4
#Eagles' Jordan Mailata Stays Grounded Amid Stunning Success https://t.co/jdNQvqsopn via @SInow
T Jordan Mailata speaks with the media. #FlyEaglesFly https://t.co/1fB97mmAP5
That might have been Jordan Mailata jumping up and down to celebrate his new contract. (Mailata will meet with reporters this afternoon.)
#Eagles LT Jordan Mailata is now poised to have over $100M in career earnings, despite never having played football prior to being drafted. Players like him are the reason why some wondered last week if a player like DJ Burns could transition to the NFL. https://t.co/18qW7o5cxw https://t.co/nfHgp6MDl1
Tremendous draft success. Jordan Maialata never played collegiate ball. Rugby player. Still, Eagles spent a 7th-rnd pick to secure his services. He sat & learned behind Jason Peters. Eventually, he claimed the job over 1st-rnd pick Andre Dillard. Oh, he can really sing, too. https://t.co/t7nXuDX0vE
Let's dive into Jordan Mailata's extension - https://t.co/ofJtUtfeg4
One sentiment that Jordan Mailata expressed in 2020: Stop marveling at the "former rugby player" of his story, because a missed block/blown assignment became rationalized as someone still learning the game. Judge him like any offensive tackle who started playing the game in Pro…