Jordan Petaia to pursue a career in the NFL with the backing of the Queensland Reds

A Queensland Reds and Wallabies excitement machine has decided to chase a career in the NFL, his team has confirmed.

The Reds have backed Jordan Petaia’s decision to chase his NFL dream, with the Wallabies star to attend the International Player Pathway (IPP) development camp in Florida in January.

Petaia, who hasn’t featured at all for the Wallabies this year due to a shoulder injury he suffered in April during Queensland’s Super Rugby Pacific campaign, has this week returned to pre-season training with the Reds.

The backline excitement machine will continue to train with Queensland until his contract expires at the end of next month.

The Reds are fully supportive of 24-year-old Petaia’s decision to pursue a career in the NFL.

Jordan Petaia (left) hopes to charge towards an NFL career. Picture: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images

“Jordy’s on a pathway to some other opportunities at this stage, but we’ve got a good handle on things” Reds coach Les Kiss said.

“He’s here and we’ve got communication with him.”

The NFL’s IPP development camp program was established in 2017 to give “elite athletes from around the world the opportunity to earn a spot on an NFL roster”.

It’s the program that led to former South Sydney under-20s player Jordan Mailata securing a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he plays as an offensive tackle.

Petaia had also been linked with moves to European rugby and the NRL, but his preferred option was to chase a career in the NFL.

Originally published as Jordan Petaia to pursue a career in the NFL with the backing of the Queensland Reds