Philadelphia Eagles' Jordan Mailata Stays Grounded Amid Stunning Success

Philadelphia Eagles star left tackle Jordan Mailata has earned another lucrative contract extension.

Oct 1, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata. / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

PHILADELPHIA - By now most know the story of Philadelphia Eagles star left tackle Jordan Mailata, the crown jewel of the NFL’s International Pathway Program.

A former Australian rugby player, Mailata went from football novice to one of the best left tackles in the world inside of four years by mixing his God-given size, talent, and athleticism with the developmental teaching skills of the Eagles’ well-regarded offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland.

On the eve of the 2021 season, Mailata signed a four-year, $64 million extension with over $40 million of that guaranteed as a core piece of the league’s best offensive line and the biggest success story for what Mailata himself dubbed as “Jeff Stoutland University.”

Fast forward to the spring of 2024 and Mailata was honeymooning in Italy when his agent informed him another financial windfall was looming, this time a three-year, $66M extension that keeps Mailata tied to the Eagles through the 2028 season.

"I’ll be honest. I was just in Italy with my wife [Niki] enjoying our honeymoon, and then last week, got a text. I just let my agent handle it," Mailata smiled. "I just handled the honeymoon."

Oct 22, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata. / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Stoutland helped build Mailata into an NFL star but it didn't come overnight. Mailata was essentially stashed on the back end of the roster for two seasons before being forced into action due to injury in the 2020 season.

At the time, Stoutland said he thought Mailata was ready but even the best O-line coach didn’t really know. The first test was against Nick Bosa and the San Francisco 49ers with many expecting a disaster.

Instead, Mailata more than held his own and quickly developed into a top-tier left tackle, outlasting 2019 first-round pick Andre Dillard to become the long-term answer for the Eagles at one of the game’s most important positions.

Eagles Today asked Mailata about his first start at the NovaCare Complex Friday moments after the big man put pen to paper.

"When I look back I was telling myself I was ready but was I really ready? Probably not," Mailata admitted. "Looking back it's just hard, now that you've gotten into routine and you understand what to expect and the standard of play. Getting you're number called is a tough thing and it's nerve-wracking."

The mental toughness Mailata has displayed in his journey from dart throw to foundational mainstay may even trump his physical gifts, although perhaps not his Sinatra-like singing voice. It only seems like everything comes easy for Mailata, however.

"The only thing I was thinking of preparing for that [49ers] game was to not let your teammates down," Mailata said. "And that helped me feel prepared. Does that make sense? Because I definitely was like telling myself, trying to get myself ready for the game. The one thing that was constant during that game was when my number was called was don't let my teammates down. Know your role, know your technique, and execute."

By the end of that 2020 season, Mailata started 10 games and Pro Football Focus graded hima as No. 43 of 79 offensive tackles, a solid showing and one that figured to earn him the swing tackle job in 2021.

Instead, Mailata lapped Dillard in a training camp battle and excelled as the full-time LT, ranking No. 3 of 83 by PFF in 2021. The last two seasons, Mailata has also produced top-10 seasons, No. 9 of 81 in 2022 despite dealing with a painful shoulder injury for much of the season and No. 3 of 81 in 2023, sparking the willingness from the Eagles to act early and aggressively with a second big-money deal.

Despite the money and the fame that has come along with it that has produced endorsement deals and an appearance of FOX's 'The Masked Singer,' Mailata has managed to stay grounded.

After the television lights dimmed Friday, Mailata stayed to talk like he was one of the guys, expressing excitement for Wrestlemania XL set for Lincoln Financial Field this weekend and lamenting he didn't get a chance to work out with WWE world champion Seth Rollins like his linemate Lane Johnson.

"Part of it is the way I was raised by my parents and my siblings," Mailata said when asked by Eagle Today about remaining grounded. "... My wife always holds me accountable for a lot of things. She always says that she likes that when my head gets too big to deflate it. That’s also another big part of finding somebody who’s going to keep you grounded when you can’t do it yourself.

"But also just the culture in this locker room. We want to build something special, and the people in this building that we go to work with every day and interact with, they are some of the greatest human beings I’ve ever met in my life. So it’s easy to be comfortable, be you, and be the best person you can be."