- Rugby star Jordan Petaia is chasing his NFL dream.
- He played in two Rugby World Cups for the Wallabies.
- Petaia is scheduled to attend an NFL development camp in Florida.
Jordan Petaia plans to wow NFL scouts with his versatility as the rugby union star gets his first and final chance to scratch the football itch.
As revealed by AAP in September, two-time World Cup winning Wallaby Petaiah broke his Queensland Reds contract to try his luck in the United States.
The 24-year-old confirmed on Tuesday that he will attend the exclusive NFL International Player Pathway (IPP) development camp in Florida in January.
“The decision to resign was not easy,” he wrote on Instagram Tuesday.
‘I will be forever grateful for that experience. It feels like the right time in my career to pursue a dream I’ve had for a long time.
‘Thank you NFL IPP for giving me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.’
Jordan Petaia (pictured) quit rugby union to pursue his NFL dream in the United States.
Petaia, who played for the Wallabies in two World Cups, leaves the union
Petaia, who has been under contract at Ballymore since November, has recovered from a shoulder injury that derailed his 2024 season.
He has the Reds’ blessing and will likely return if things don’t go well at the IMG Academy sports facility in Bradenton.
Petaia burst onto the scene with a historic Wallabies debut at the age of just 19 at the 2019 World Cup, and is preferred by Eddie Jones at center for the 2023 competition.
However, his career in the intervening years was hampered by various injuries and he was unable to settle into his preferred position after trying out at centre, wing and full-back.
Armed with a unique combination of speed, power, agility and coordination, Petaia will attempt to prove to scouts that he can play multiple positions, including wide receiver, tight end or special teams.
Petaia, a long-time NFL fan, has turned down lucrative European rugby and NRL offers and will instead give up at least five months of salary to pursue the American dream.
This is the same program that launched Jordan Mailata’s NFL career in Philadelphia, one of Sydney’s behemoths and one of only five international players on the active roster since the program’s inception in 2017.
The 24-year-old IPP cutoff means this is Petaia’s last chance to join the exclusive group.
He is scheduled to attend the NFL International Player Pathway (IPP) camp in Florida in January.
Australia’s Jordan Mailata has made a successful move to the NFL to play for Philadelphia.
Former Gold Coast VFL talent Patrick Murtagh, last year’s boys decathlon champion, moved from IPP to the Detroit Lions before joining the Jacksonville Jaguars.
However, the tight end was canceled after suffering an ankle injury during training last August and did not play in a single game.
Former NRL star Jarryd Hayne famously featured in the San Francisco 49ers’ active squad as a running back, appearing in eight games in 2015.
That was before the advent of the IPP, which was designed to streamline the inclusion of foreign talent and avoid interfering with the traditional conscription system.
NRL flyer Valentine Holmes joined the New York Jets’ practice squad at the IPP in 2019 but was quickly cut short after a pre-season where opportunities were limited.
However, Petaia could benefit from new rules introduced last season that allow clubs to retain international players outside their active roster, who can play up to three games a season.
There are currently 18 IPP products on NFL rosters, including Welsh rugby winger Louis Rees-Zammit, who is on Jacksonville’s practice squad after being last drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs.
