Jordan Mailata: From rugby to earning $100+ million in Eagles career with new mega contract

The Eagles are signing left tackle Jordan Mailata to a three-year extension worth as much as $66 million, tying him to the team through the 2028 season.

That should push Mailata’s overall earnings well over $100 million as Mailata still has two seasons remaining on his four-year deal worth as much as $64 million. ESPN was the first to report the contract terms.

More importantly, Mailata’s extension keeps the Eagles’ two tackles − Lane Johnson is the right tackle − under contract through at least 2026. They are the players crucial to protecting quarterback Jalen Hurts.

It’s quite a journey for Mailata, who was drafted in the seventh round in 2018. He had never played organized football before that, growing up in Australia as a rugby player.

But Mailata, who’s listed at 6-foot-8, 365 pounds, got too big for rugby, and thus decided to come to the United States to try football. It was a slow process, as Mailata didn’t get into a game until 2020. The Eagles even used a first-round pick on a left tackle in 2019 when they selected Andre Dillard.

In 2021, Mailata beat out Dillard for the starting job during training camp, and has been a full-time starter ever since.

Read original USA Today article.