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Jordan Petaia takes step closer to following Louis Rees-Zammit into NFL
By AAP
Jordan Petaia has knocked back lucrative European rugby and NRL offers and will instead give up at least five months of pay to pursue his NFL dream.
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AAP understands the in-demand, two-time World Cup Wallabies star will attend January’s exclusive International Player Pathway (IPP) development camp in Florida.
It’s the same program that kick-started Jordan Mailata’s NFL career with Philadelphia, the Sydney giant one of five internationals to crack an active roster since the program began in 2017.
Petaia, 24, is off contract beyond November at the Queensland Reds and will go without a pay cheque until at least April 1, if signed by any of the 32 NFL franchises.
Fresh off a US holiday, the 24-year-old returned to Ballymore on Monday for day one of pre-season.
The club is supportive of Petaia’s ambition, their goal to ensure the shoulder injury that cut short his 2024 campaign is fully healed so he can impress in January.
The Reds are confident that he will return to Ballymore, and not a rival Super Rugby Pacific club, if no NFL deal eventuates next year.
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He's a freak talent. I hope his body holds up to the brutal hits and he comes back to the Reds one day.
'Dream'. He always dreamed of standing around in helmets and body armour for a living? Sure he did.