Getty The Eagles inked Jordan Mailata to a four-year, $64 million contract extension.
Jordan Mailata might not have the tenure of his more accomplished teammates on the offensive line, but he certainly has the biggest pulpit. He’s a massive human being who commands respect every time he speaks his mind, allowing his Australian accent to reverberate in the room for unintentional dramatic effect.
Mailata has quickly developed into one of the best left tackles in football. That means everything he says matters now. So, when the 6-foot-8, 365-pounder was asked what he’s trying to improve heading into the 2023 season, it wasn’t a me-first answer. Mailata always has the greater team goal in mind. There is an elite standard in the room – one set unapologetically by All-Pro center Jason Kelce and offensive line guru Jeff Stoutland – that has to be upheld at all costs.
“The goal I think for young guys should be setting or trying to achieve that standard,” Mailata told reporters, “and when you get to that standard, keep chasing like Kelce. I feel like I haven’t got there yet because Kelce’s forever pushing the standard boundary. Every year he comes back, he’s pushing it more and more. He wants us to get more out of drills. He wants us to get more better at watching film. He wants us to be more football and fundamentally sound.”
Offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland is working with Jordan Mailata and Landon Dickerson
The first goal is to ingrain that idea into the brains of the new guys attempting to win starting jobs, namely players like second-year man Cam Jurgens and third-round pick Tyler Steen. They will be competing for Isaac Seumalo’s spot at right guard.
“For guys like Cam and Tyler it’s a great situation for them to come into the room because there are things that I can try and tell them, like this helped me and if it doesn’t work for you, well, good luck finding your own way,” Mailata said. “They’ve come into a great locker room and a great O-line room where the culture is still intact from the day that I stepped in.”
Best Man in Landon Dickerson’s Wedding
It was common knowledge that Landon Dickerson married his college sweetheart in a private wedding ceremony on March 25 in Greenville, South Carolina. There were 150 guests in attendance, according to PEOPLE, and the couple walked down the aisle to Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”
Landon Dickerson married his wife, Brooke, on Saturday in Greenville, S.C.
Landon’s best man? Jordan Mailata
📸 via Mailata’s fiancé Niki: t.co/UtvbbWl7m7
What wasn’t widely reported was that Dickerson’s best man was Jordan Mailata. At first, it seemed like a strange choice considering the two 300-plus pounders just met in 2021. Then again, Mailata has been pretty open about their “blooming bromance” dating back to last year.
“It’s quality time over quantity,” Mailata said of his relationship with Dickerson. “It means a lot, man. It’s tough because, for me, my family is back home in Australia and they are about 20-plus hours away, and it’s all about finding people I can really connect with here and building my circle of trust. And Landon back in 2021, we haven’t known each other for that long, but I feel like the man knows me like the back of his hand, and I know him like the back of mine.”
Jason Kelce: Legend, True Leader, Captain
It’s no secret Jason Kelce will be inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame whenever he decides to retire. The fan-favorite center could be headed to Canton, too. For now, Kelce is back for his 13th NFL season as he continues to inspire and lead his Philly teammates. His presence is indispensable. He’s a living legend, according to Mailata.
“To me, he’s a legend and the legend of Jason Kelce is forever going to live in these hallways,” Mailata said. “And it’s not even myth anymore, you know, people talk about myths. No, the legend of Jason Kelce is going to be a real story. One day his picture is going to be up here on the walls and, like me, the young cats waling into the building are not going to know who he is and they’re going to find out who he is later on.”
Jordan Mailata’s phone background is Jason Kelce 😂