Photo: Arlington National Cemetery, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons²

Jordan Mailata

Offensive Tackle, Philadelphia Eagles · #68.

Player facts

Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Position: Offensive Tackle
Number: 68
Born: Mar 31, 1997 (age 29)
Birthplace: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Height: 6' 8"
Weight: 365 lbs
Experience: 9 seasons
Status: Active

About

Lafoga Jordan Mailata ( my-LAH-tə; born 31 March 1997) is an Australian professional American football offensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL) and former rugby league player. He previously played rugby league for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs under-18s team and the South Sydney Rabbitohs on their under-20s team. He joined the NFL via the league's International Player Pathway Program and was selected in the seventh round, 233rd overall by the Eagles in the 2018 NFL draft. In 2025, Mailata was an integral part of the Eagles team that won Super Bowl LIX, the second title in the team's history.

From Wikipedia’s article on Jordan Mailata, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.¹

Background

Personal life

Mailata is the son of Samoan immigrants to Australia and was born in Bankstown, an area of Sydney characterised by its high concentration of Samoan immigrants. He retains New Zealand citizenship, owing to his mother coming from there. Mailata's middle name, Jordan, was given to him by his sister after the basketball superstar Michael Jordan.

Mailata is sponsored by Australian clothing company Johnny Bigg, which specialises in clothes for people with large frames. He graduated at Condell Park High School. In July 2023, Mailata married his longtime partner Niki Ikahihifo-Bender, a lawyer from Alaska.

After Mailata appeared on his teammate Jason Kelce's podcast and mentioned that he identifies as Australian but he's not a citizen of the country, Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he would "fast track" citizenship for Mailata.

As a child Mailata supported the Wests Tigers in the NRL and has described Benji Marshall, James Maloney, and Sonny Bill Williams as his favourite rugby league footballers. He is also a self-professed Wallabies fan.

Philanthropy

Mailata and his wife Niki Ikahihifo-Bender Mailata created the Mailata Family Foundation in 2026. The foundation provides scholarships, mentorship and resources to Philadelphia youth.

From Wikipedia’s article on Jordan Mailata, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article.¹