Big Super Bowl dreams punctured in 11 seconds

Australians Jordan Mailata and Arryn Siposs were 11 seconds from winning Super Bowl rings. They left empty-handed.

Jordan Mailata consoles a teammate. Picture: Getty Images

Everything about a Super Bowl is big. The build-up, the BS, the prestige, the hype, the histrionics, the history, the gaudiness, the glory, the halftime gig, the pressure, the bomp-bomp-bomp of marching bands, the pomp-pomp-pomp, the celebrations, the hangover after the post-match party at Snoop Dogg’s hotel. It can actually feel rather soulless and cheesy when you attend one of these things … until kick-off. That’s the cue for a player to achieve something undeniably big in your privileged sporting lifetime.

And as we were reminded on Monday, when the big Australian pairing of Jordan Mailata and Arryn Siposs suffered the sizeable heartbreak of missing out on Super Bowl rings by the smallest of margins – 11 seconds – there’s nothing bigger than the controversy, regret and lost opportunity.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles was big for tension before Harrison Butker kicked the biggest field goal of his life. It was big for the story of Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs’ quarterback who overcame a re-aggravated ankle injury to win his second Super Bowl ring in three seasons. It was big for a duffed punt by Siposs that had dire consequences. And it was big for a contentious late refereeing decision that knocked the last giant nail into the Eagles’ coffin.

Siposs’s regret came with the game in the balance in the fourth quarter. His errant lowline drive gave the Chiefs’ Kadarius Toney too much time and space before the Eagles defenders could get to him. The result was a 65-yard return from Toney, the biggest in Super Bowl history, leading to a Skyy Moore touchdown that put the Chiefs eight points ahead.

There was nothing bigger in Super Bowl LVII than Mailata. Built like a human tug boat at 203cm and 166kg, he probably had two options in this lifetime. Become the hot dog-eating champion of the world or get into beast mode and have a crack at the NFL. The heart in the bloke must be bigger than the outback. From nowhere, he’s become a big-time, big-name player at the Eagles, regardless of Monday’s devastation.

A Super Bowl ring seemed certain to adorn one of the 25-year-old New South Welshman’s big fingers right up until the moment the Chiefs snatched it from him.

Philadelphia owner Jeffrey Lurie embraces Arryn Siposs. Picture: Getty Images

Victoria’s 30-year-old Siposs has carved out a stellar career while navigating the perilous existence of week-by-week contracts. It’s a tough gig as a punter. You’re rarely sighted and, when you are, you’d better make no error. He did and Eagles fans, in the uncompromising public form of Twitter, let him know about it.

Still, inside the final minute, it remained game on at 35-all when Philadelphia cornerback James Bradberry was called for holding on Kansas City receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. It was technically the correct call because light contact was made. The drama was whether it was sufficient to be penalised in such a big moment. The verdict allowed the Chiefs to run down the clock and kick the Super Bowl-winning field goal.

Had the Eagles won, Mailata would have been bigger as big as it gets in Australian sport. He was bodyguard to Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Any Chief wanting to get to Hurts had to get past him, and good luck with that. He mostly stood there like a nightclub doorman who reckons you’ve already had too much to drink. He did a lot right, but it wasn’t quite enough in a game of inches, seconds and the ref’s whistle.

The less Siposs was involved, the better it would have been, because punters take the field only when the offence is struggling big time and he needs to bail them out. He bobbed up twice. His third appearance was expected to be on the podium while cradling the big and beautiful Vince Lombardi Trophy as his former St Kilda teammates marvelled at how far he had come. Again, not to be.

Mailata’s $100m salary over four years ain’t bad for a bloke once earning 23 bucks an hour as a labourer in western Sydney. The NRL’s biggest club, South Sydney Rabbitohs, rejected his services because he was too cumbersome but former coach Michael Maguire remembers the league reject being the largest human he had ever seen. There’s no downplaying how big it is simply take part in a Super Bowl. Bravo to Mailata and Siposs for that. There’s also no hiding from the size of the sting of narrow defeat.