Wallabies star makes SHOCK announcement to leave rugby and pursue a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ dream
- Rugby star Jordan Petaia is chasing his NFL dreams
- He played at two Rugby World Cups for the Wallabies
- Petaia will attend the NFL development camp in Florida
Jordan Petaia plans to wow NFL scouts with his versatility as the rugby union star takes his first and last chance to satisfy an American football itch.
As revealed by AAP in September, two-time World Cup player Wallaby Petaia has terminated his contract with Queensland Reds 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 step away was not an easy one,” he wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday.
“I will forever be grateful for the experiences… it feels like the right time in my career to pursue this dream that I have had for a long time.
“Thank you to the NFL IPP for giving us this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Jordan Petaia (pictured) has left rugby union to pursue his NFL dreams in the US
Petaia, who played for the Wallabies at two World Cups, has walked away from the association
Petaia was out of contract with Ballymore after November and has rehabilitated from a shoulder injury that ruined his 2024 season.
He has the blessing of the Reds, where he will likely return if things don’t work out at Bradenton’s IMG Academy sports facility.
Petaia burst onto the scene with a historic Wallabies debut aged just 19 in the 2019 World Cup and was preferred at center to Eddie Jones in the 2023 showpiece.
But in between, his career was hampered by a variety of injuries and he was unable to settle on a preferred position after being tried in the centres, on the wing and as a full-back.
Armed with a unique combination of speed, strength, agility and coordination, Petaia will look to prove to scouts that he can play numerous positions, including wide receiver, tight end or on special teams.
Petaia, a long-time NFL fan, has turned down lucrative European rugby and NRL offers and will instead give up his wages for at least five months to pursue his American dream.
It’s the same program that launched Jordan Mailata’s NFL career with Philadelphia, the Sydney giant one of just five internationals to make an active roster since the program’s inception in 2017.
The 24-year-old IPP cutoff means this is Petaia’s last chance to join that exclusive group.
He will attend the exclusive NFL International Player Pathway (IPP) camp in Florida in January
Aussie Jordan Mailata made a successful transition to the NFL to play for Philadelphia
Last year, former Gold Coast VFL talent Patrick Murtagh, a schoolboy decathlon champion, moved from the IPP to the Detroit Lions before joining the Jacksonville Jaguars.
But the tight end was waived in August after breaking his ankle in practice and never playing a game.
Former NRL star Jarryd Hayne made eight appearances in the San Francisco 49ers’ active squad in 2015 as a running back.
That was before the advent of the IPP, which was intended to streamline the inclusion of foreign talent and not disrupt the traditional draft system.
NRL flyer Valentine Holmes joined the New York Jets practice squad from the IPP in 2019 but quickly quit after a pre-season of limited opportunities.
But Petaia could benefit from a new rule introduced last season that allows clubs to sign an international player in addition to their active roster who can play up to three games per season.
There are currently 18 IPP products on NFL rosters, including Welsh rugby winger Louis Rees-Zammit, who is on Jacksonville’s training squad after being last cut by the Kansas City Chiefs.