Former Wallabies player Jordan Petaia will pursue his long-held dream of playing in the NFL after being handed a prized spot on the league’s international player pathway (IPP) programme.
The 24-year-old was announced as the first athlete of the programme’s 2025 class on Tuesday. Petaia will head out to the US in January for an exclusive 10-week training camp in Florida before he gets a shot to impress club scouts and win a place on an NFL roster.
Petaia said it was the right time to walk away from the Queensland Reds, with his contract having expired in November and rehabilitation from a shoulder injury complete. He leaves rugby union – and the chance to play in the upcoming series against the British & Irish Lions – after winning 31 caps for Australia and becoming the youngest player to appear at two Rugby World Cups, Japan in 2019 and France in 2023.
“The decision to step away from rugby hasn’t been easy and one that took a great deal of consideration,” he said. “I’d like to thank the staff, coaches and players at the Queensland Reds and the Wallabies for the last seven years. I will be forever grateful for the experiences, skills and good mates that these teams have blessed me with.
“It feels like the right time with my age and stage in life to pursue this dream I’ve had for a long time. Thank you to everyone involved in the NFL IPP program for giving me this once in a lifetime opportunity. I am very grateful and excited for the experience that lies ahead. Wishing everyone in Rugby Australia the best for 2025 – I hope it’s a great year and I will be supporting closely from afar.”
Petaia is aiming to follow in the footsteps of Jordan Mailata, the Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle from southwest Sydney. Mailata is one of just six players to have come through the IPP programme and win a spot on an NFL club’s active roster since the scheme’s inception in 2017. Former Wales international Louis Rees-Zammit is currently on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad after entering the pathway in January 2024.
Petaia said on Tuesday that he has been a fan of the NFL since he was a child.
“My dad used to let us stay home from school for Super Bowl ... that’s why NFL is in my head,” Petaia said. “I was a big fan of watching the big collisions ... in a big Samoan household we loved watching [former Pittsburgh Steelers safety] Troy Polamalu put on the big hits.
“I’m a fan of the whole game, really. In union people say there’s a lot of rules but there’s probably triple in the NFL. The playbook’s quite large and Madden [video game] can only get you so far. I’m enjoying all the little, different skills.”
Born in Melbourne and raised in Brisbane, Petaia was launched into the spotlight as a fresh-faced 19-year-old by then-Wallabies coach Michael Cheika at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, scoring against Uruguay with just his second touch of the ball on his international debut. He featured again four years later under Eddie Jones in France, but injuries pockmarked his time in union and he was unable to settle on a preferred position.
Across a six-year career in Super Rugby, Petaia played in the centres, on the wing and at fullback. His skillset and physical attributes mean he would be suitable for a number of potential positions on an American football team, including wide receiver or tight end.
Petaia, who played 58 games for the Reds and scored 80 points, will train at the NFL Academy campus on the Gold Coast in preparation for the US camp.
