Samoan Super Bowl star Jordan Mailata shows kids across Pacific anything’s possible

To listen to the interview with former Kiwi NFL player Mark Nua, click the player below.

NFL star-turned Samoan league player Jordan Mailata has beaten odds to play Monday’s Super Bowl, but his rise to the top of the sport is showing kids across the Pacific what’s possible, says a Kiwi Gridiron pioneer.

Mark Nua, 170 kg, 198 cm, and the 166 kg, 203 cm tall Mailata share a position, offensive tackle, where they are tasked with defending the quarterback from threatening pass rushers.

Well told Things‘s sports podcast The Podium, he struggled with the rugby codes process.

“Being a bunch of boys, rugby and rugby league was just too much walking to carry 150kg or whatever across the field.”

CONTINUE READING:
* South Auckland to the NFL: The Long, Winding Road to US Football Scholarships
* Jordan Mailata: The Samoan-Australian choirboy with a $64 million deal and Super Bowl billing
* How Mailata turned down Souths’ $5450 offer only to land a $3.7 million NFL deal

“On the (offensive) line you can be … 165kg and you’re pushing people around, you don’t have to run more than 20 meters.”

But it’s not just sheer size that’s needed, as tackles also possess a maneuverability and agility that belies their gargantuan frame.

After receiving a scholarship from the University of Hawaii because of a newspaper report about his sporting successes in Auckland, Nua reached the NFL with the Detroit Lions and the San Diego Chargers.

He says the chances of making the NFL are even slimmer for players from Oceania, but Mailata’s notable achievements as a left tackle are inspiring.

“If you’re athletic, 6ft 6 and up, there’s that opportunity.”

Nua is excited for Pacifica talent to have a chance in American football and says it goes back to the reasons previous generations migrated from the Pacific islands to New Zealand and Australia.

“It’s tough, but it’s a great test to see how far you can go. At worst, you will gain a life experience that will set you up for the rest of your days.”

Nua has watched in admiration as Mailata has blossomed into a “mobile enemy individual” on the pitch and has thus attained generational wealth after signing a guaranteed US$40million (NZ$63million) deal last year.

For Nua’s pick for the Super Bowl, listen to the interview in the player above or click here.

Follow The Podium on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts for instant access to new episodes.