Philadelphia Eagles star Jordan Mailata. Photo: AFP / Tim Nwachukwu
Super Bowl LIX
Kick-off: 12:30pm, Monday 10 Feb
Caesar's Superdome, New Orleans
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
Standing at 2.03 metres, and weighing 166 kilograms, Philadelphia Eagles star Jordan Mailata somehow still flies under the radar for many New Zealand sports fans.
Mailata is born to Kiwi parents and holds New Zealand citizenship, but his Australian accent, and proud Samoan heritage has many overlooking his strong roots to Aoeteroa.
The 27-year-old is one of the highest paid players in his position - left tackle - after signing a three-year, $116 million contract extension in April last year.
So, how did a kid from rugby league stronghold Bankstown end up becoming one of the NFL's most beloved and biggest stars?
Born in Sydney in 1997 to Tupa'i Mailata and Maria Mailata, but what could have easily been New Zealand if not for a fateful trip across the Tasman made by his father.
Tupa'i was only meant to be in Australia to retrieve his niece, but liked it so much, he moved his entire family, Jordan's oldest brother Moana told the Philadelphia Inquirer in 2018.
But despite being born in New South Wales, and living the next 20 years of his life there, he told the New Heights podcast in 2023 he does not actually hold Australian Citizenship, but rather, is a New Zealand citizen because of his parents.
Like many kids growing up in Bankstown, especially of New Zealand or Polynesian descent, it was rugby league where he first showcased his world class athleticism.
His large frame and strong-ball carrying ability caught the eye of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, and was selected for their under 18s team in 2015.
But he hit a roadblock after multiple collapses on the field led to the discovery of a rare heart condition, which required surgery.
That forced Mailata to take a break from rugby league, but he soon caught the eye of another NRL club two years later, and joined the South Sydney Rabbitohs organisation.
There, he played for the reserve grade team, but fitness issues continued to stall Mailata's career, and he left the team after just one year.
Jordan Mailata walks off the field after a loss to the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on 7 January 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Photo: AFP via Getty
Instead, he joined the NFL's International Player Pathway Programme, despite never having played the game, and only ever watching the Super Bowl for its halftime entertainment.
Since its inception in 2017, Mailata is by far the biggest success story to have come out of it - the same one NRL star Valentine Holmes and Welsh rugby wonderkid Louis Rees-Zammit were a part of.
In 2024, Auckland-born Laekin Vakalahi followed Mailata's footsteps and entered the pathway, and impressed enough to earn a three-year contract with the Eagles.
The 1.96m, 145kg offensive tackle has drawn comparisons with Mailata due to his size and background as a former rugby league player and is seen as yet another promising project in 'Stoutland University'.
Jeff Stoutland is the offensive line coach for the Eagles, and is highly regarded as the best in the business.
Mailata has credited his meteoric rise due to Stoutland's coaching, and he played a crucial role in the big-bodied brute being selected in the 2018 NFL Draft.
On day three of the annual spectacle, the Eagles traded up and leapfrogged potential suitors to select Mailata in the seventh and last round with the 233rd pick.
He was seen as a longshot, but has paid back their trust in dividends with a return of production fitting any first pick of any draft.
Seven years later, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Mailata has consistently been one of the highest graded pass and run blockers in the NFL, and has been an integral part of arguably the NFL's best offensive line in almost every season he's played.
Being surrounded by such talent has often seen him overlooked for other honours, but still has a 2024 All Pro Second Team title to his name, and twice served as Pro Bowl alternate.
Miles Sanders and Jordan Mailata of the Philadelphia Eagles react after a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a game against Pittsburgh Steelers at Lincoln Financial Field on 30 October 2022. Photo: AFP / Mitchell Leef
But on Monday, Mailata will have a chance to win his highest honour - a Super Bowl ring.
The Eagles will play the reigning champions Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch of the 2023 finale, a game they lost 38-35 in heartbreaking fashion.
He will look to become just the second Australian to ever win a Super Bowl, and if we claim him like the New Zealand government do, the second Kiwi too.
Although, he has a long way to go to catch the likes of New Zealand's first-ever NFL player, Riki Ellison, who won three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers in the 1980s.
But where Mailata lacks in the trophy cabinet, he may have the edge in the form of a surprising talent off the field - singing.
Mailata competed in season 7 of the Masked Singer and wowed judges, including Rita Ora and Ken Jeong. He has since formed a vocal group with a few of his Eagles' teammates and even recorded Christmas albums.
His talent on and off the field, coupled with his passion to represent his Samoan roots has made him a Polynesian icon in a sport not short of players with roots to the islands.
He recently went viral again after embracing Washington Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu after their NFC Championship victory.
Luvu, who was born in American Samoa, told Mailata to "go win that sh-t uce", and to "keep representing" the culture.
And on Monday, Mailata will do just that as he looks to complete a Cinderella story even too unrealistic for Hollywood, against a red wave of momentum and media frenzy that is the Chiefs.
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