Australian football great Jordan Mailata is gearing up for his chance to win his first Super Bowl ring — with his former school principal saying “it’s a dream come true”.

Mailata’s team, the Philadelphia Eagles, last week defeated division rivals Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship game, catapulting them to a Super Bowl showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday (AEDT).

Now his former high school and childhood rugby league team are cheering him on from the other side of the globe in Western Sydney.

At Condell Park High School there is a montage for Mailata on one of the hallways, featuring former school photos, newspaper clippings and nods to the Philadelphia Eagles.

“He inspires all of us, now that he’s succeeded and persevered through his struggles,” one student said.

His PE teacher Kieran Frappell shared: “I remember seeing him in year 7 and thinking, ‘This guy is going to be on the football team’.

“He could probably pick you up with one hand if you gave him a detention!”

Mailata was a former sports captain at the school.

Former principal Susie Mobayed has “beautiful memories” of Mailata.

“He was a big teddy bear. Then we discovered his musical talent. He sang like an angel. He played the guitar. He was such an amazing athlete too,” she said.

Mailata’s singing abilities later led him to appear on the US version of The Masked Singer. 

“It’s a dream come true, as we’ve had this young boy with potential,” Ms Mobayed said.

“How fortunate were we that the teachers here channelled his potential in terms of music and sport, and worked with him.”

A ‘gentle giant’ at local club

A Super Bowl appearance, let alone playing in the NFL, was never the original dream for Mailata.

Mailata, the son of Samoan immigrants, was born in Bankstown and loved sport from a young age, particularly rugby league.

He was part of local club Bankstown Bulls for many years during his youth, starting in the under 8s.

The club’s assistant secretary and coach Lawrence Karam has fond memories of his time coaching Mailata and his brothers.

“The family is great — they are a good sporting family, very humble,” he told the ABC.

Mailata’s extraordinary height in comparison to other kids his age made for interesting antics on the rugby field, said Mr Karam, who described him as a “gentle giant”.

“With Jordan, he was just one of those young kids that stood out from his height and demeanour.

“That size, that speed, running at you — I would tend to step aside sometimes if it was me.” 

The hope for a Super Bowl win

Mailata was offered a contract by the South Sydney Rabbitohs under-20 team and played a handful of games before his rugby league dream hit a roadblock.

Due to his size and the speed constraints of league, Mailata turned to a sport that was more suitable to his 166-kilogram frame — American football — and thankfully, the talent transfer shift was incredibly successful.

Standing at 203 centimetres, the 27-year-old Aussie giant has become a key cog in the Eagles’ offence.

He is now regarded as one of the best offensive tackles in the game, so much so that last year he signed a three-year $100 million contract extension. 

Mailata is one of Australia’s highest paid athletes.

This isn’t Mailata’s first Super Bowl experience.

Two years ago he helped the Eagles reach the Super Bowl, though the team lost 38-35 to the Chiefs.

Mailata will be the second Australian to play in two Super Bowls after punter Mitch Wishnowsky, who played in the San Francisco 49ers’ losing efforts in 2020 and 2024.

Now on Monday, Mailata could become the first Australian to play in a winning championship game.

His school community is rallying behind him, with Super Bowl posters blue-tacked on the walls and Eagles banners dotted around.

Coach Mr Karam said Mailata recently visited the Bankstown Bulls club.

“He remembered every one of his teammates, his old coaches. He went above and beyond, he was signing jerseys and balls,” he said.

“He is as humble as you can get. He’s still the same big Jordan.”