‘It’d mean everything to bring a game back home’: Aussie star Jordan Mailata excited by MCG matches as he prepares for the Super Bowl

Jordan Mailata is preparing to play in his second Super Bowl, but the Aussie star also has an eye on next year when the MCG is set to host the first NFL match Down Under.

Super Bowl bound Aussie NFL star Jordan Mailata says it would “mean everything” to play a regular season game in Australia following reports Melbourne has won the right to host up to three matches starting next year likely to feature his Philadelphia Eagles.

The NFL has taken matches across the world to the UK, Germany and Mexico, with Madrid to host a match involving the Miami Dolphins next season.

The sport has exploded in popularity in Australia thanks to increased television coverage as well as through fantasy leagues that ensure plenty of fans have one eye on games during work on Monday mornings.

That surge in popularity has been rewarded with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell tipped to confirm that the MCG will host a match in 2026 between Mailata’s Eagles and the LA Rams who met in the playoffs just last month.

Jordan Mailata on wanting to grow the NFL game in Australia: pic.twitter.com/9rZ4Dlnj7L

— Chat Sports (@ChatSports) February 4, 2025

Mailata is one of the NFL’s greatest success stories having gone from a hulking ball carrier for South Sydney in the under-20s to now being one of the highest-paid offensive tackles in the NFL.

He will become the first Australian to play in two Super Bowls when the Eagles face the Chiefs on Monday morning (Australian time), and he’s already looking forward to making history next year.

“It’d mean everything to bring a game back home,” he said at the main media day in New Orleans for the Super Bowl.

“It’d mean a lot to have a game back home, just for eyes and viewership.

“I really want this game to grow back home, so if we can bring a game back there to generate interest and keep the growth of the game going, that’d mean a lot to me.

“The best thing about football is that you can play at any size, at any height. I’m 6’8”, but there are guys on my team (who are a lot smaller).

“There are different heights and different sizes of every teammate of mine, and I think that’s what makes the sport beautiful.”

Jordan Mailata is out here doing Bane impressions on Opening Night 🤣

Rate this impression 1-10 ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/cQVYPFhJ6s

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) February 4, 2025

Mailata did a bit of everything at media day where he did impressions of Batman villain Bane, while he was also given a cookie from Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston.

But his focus is on beating the Chiefs who defeated the Eagles two years ago in the Super Bowl and are looking to become the first team in NFL history to win three titles in a row.

“I have plenty of motivation, but that’s not (one of them) to stop the three-peat,” he said, proud to be able to provide teammates Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts with the room they need to score touchdowns.

“I have plenty of motivation (outside of that), enough (for me).”

Originally published as ‘It’d mean everything to bring a game back home’: Aussie star Jordan Mailata excited by MCG matches as he prepares for the Super Bowl