{"id":645415,"date":"2026-01-01T11:22:14","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T11:22:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/645415\/"},"modified":"2026-01-01T11:22:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-01T11:22:14","slug":"eagles-jordan-mailata-is-eyeing-his-replacements-could-retire-sooner-than-expected","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/645415\/","title":{"rendered":"Eagles’ Jordan Mailata is eyeing his replacements, could retire sooner than expected"},"content":{"rendered":"

PHILADELPHIA \u2014 Last month, Eagles offensive tackle <\/a>Jordan Mailata <\/a>had seen enough. Practice squad lineman Hollin Pierce<\/a> arrived just minutes before practice again, something that was happening too frequently. <\/p>\n

Later that afternoon, Mailata pulled Pierce onto the black couch at the back of the Eagles\u2019 locker room for a one-on-one conversation. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll call him out for coming into the building 10 minutes before we are supposed to be here, and I\u2019m sitting here like, \u2018Hey, come on,\u2019\u201d Mailata told NJ Advance Media last week. \u201cThat\u2019s called being an (Average) Joe now. Once or twice maybe, but every day? <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a tough conversation for him. I will ask him first, \u2018Hey, what happened here?\u2019 And he\u2019s like, \u2018Ah, I just stepped in.\u2019 I say, \u2018Come on, man. You got to want this. This is not for everyone. It really is not. It is not easy, man.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

In the six years since his NFL debut, Mailata, 28, has turned into one of the best left tackles in the league. But his behind-the-scenes impact comes through his role of mentoring young Eagles\u2019 offensive linemen, most of whom are developmental prospects, much like he was once.<\/p>\n

Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland<\/a> cannot always devote his attention to the young offensive linemen. <\/p>\n

Mailata wants to ensure that the group\u2019s performance remains strong as changes inevitably take place in the coming years. <\/p>\n

\u201cI care a lot, man,\u201d Mailata said. \u201cI care a lot because I only have so long to play this game, man. Everyone\u2019s like, \u2018Oh, you can play another five years.\u2019 Yeah, bulls—. I\u2019m already in the phase of bringing the next guy along with me. Who\u2019s it gonna be? I can\u2019t tell you, but it\u2019s a high standard playing in this city, so just gotta keep that going. And for me it\u2019s just, I want the best for those boys. I am always going to root for the underdog.\u201d<\/p>\n

The former Australian rugby star, who had no football experience before entering the NFL in 2018, was once considered a long shot to make it. But Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson<\/a>, Stoutland and other members of the organization dedicated long hours to his development, helping him eventually become one of the franchise\u2019s top players. <\/p>\n

\"BrownsPhiladelphia Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata, left, and tackle Lane Johnson, right, arrives to the stadium prior to an NFL preseason football game against the Cleveland Browns, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo\/Chris Szagola)AP<\/p>\n

Now Mailata is providing the same dedication to fellow late-round picks Myles Hinton<\/a>, Cameron Williams <\/a>and Drew Kendall<\/a> and to undrafted rookies Jake Majors <\/a>and Pierce. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe day I signed here, I pulled up in the parking lot and Jordan was literally the first guy I met,\u201d Pierce said. \u201cHe has been on me ever since he saw me for the first time on the field. He just wants the best from me each and every single day. And he demands it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pierce and the other rookies credit Mailata for showing them what to do and what not to do to become good NFL players.<\/p>\n

Mailata just wants them to succeed, and when he sees anything that could get in the way of that, he makes sure to let them know \u2014 even if the feedback is harsh and the tone is loud.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust listen to what the message is,\u201d Pierce said about how he handles Mailata yelling at him. \u201cSome guys are like, \u2018Oh, he yelled at me.\u2019 Yeah, he yelled at you, but what did he say? Every time when he\u2019s on me, there\u2019s always those hidden gems in there that make me better .\u201d<\/p>\n

Longtime Eagles backup center Brett Toth<\/a>, who is one of Mailata\u2019s closest friends, said that not every team has a player like Mailata, someone who puts others above himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re in this building for a reason, to add to this O-line room to become a starter,\u201d Mailata said. \u201cThat is all very well in front of them. And so, I still want them to realize the potential that they have of being here. It\u2019s not just about being a role player. It\u2019s also got to be about, \u2018You can fight for my position.\u2019 I still want them to know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mailata approaches his relationship with each rookie differently. He\u2019s not on top of Kendall and Majors as much because they are \u201ctotal pros,\u201d but he gets on Pierce and Hinton more because they are still in the process of learning how to be professionals.<\/p>\n

\"BearsPhiladelphia Eagles place kicker Jake Elliott (4) celebrates with Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata (68) during an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo\/Daniel Kucin Jr.)AP<\/p>\n

He also pushes them more because he believes they have unique, untapped potential.<\/p>\n

\u201cHollin, he is my dark horse,\u201d Mailata said. \u201cParticularly hard on Hollin. I think he can be a great tackle in this league. The one thing you can\u2019t take away from Hollin is his size (Pierce is 6-8, 341 pounds).\u201d<\/p>\n

At every practice, Mailata evaluates their get-off, spatial awareness and the timing of their hands.<\/p>\n

Mailata said he will step in and correct those issues before Stoutland does because \u201cit\u2019s just easier to hear it from me sometimes than just hearing Stout the whole time. It\u2019s better that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

He tries his best not to yell, but he can\u2019t help himself when he watches someone make repeated mistakes. <\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, we did this already. Come on, stop,\u201d he shouts on the field.<\/p>\n

He is extra critical of them in the meeting room, too, telling them after a bad practice: \u201cWhat are we doing? This is piss-poor.\u201d He also gets mad when they come in overweight or don\u2019t work hard enough outside of practices.<\/p>\n

\u201cMediocrity won\u2019t last in that room,\u201d Mailata said.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just the tough conversations with Mailata that motivate Pierce to improve, but also the example Mailata sets.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we\u2019re doing a walkthrough, he takes five steps at full speed and then he slows it down,\u201d Pierce said. \u201cEverything he does is just at a high velocity rate.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd when I was in training camp, I saw Jordan laying it all out there. He\u2019s gassed and for him just to keep coming back and keep coming back and doing it over and over again, that shows the passion he has for this game and the love that he has. That is truly inspiring for me to see that, and it just makes me want to do the same thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Philadelphia\u2019s off days, when players are not required to be in the building, Mailata brings the rookies in for extra lift sessions.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust the way he works makes me want to work just as hard as him or beat him out,\u201d Majors said. \u201cIn the weight room, film room, practice field, I\u2019m always watching him to see what he does. I\u2019m not as big as him, but in my respective position at center, I can try and mimic whatever he does.\u201d<\/p>\n

More than anything he teaches on the field or in meetings, Mailata has helped the rookies overcome confidence struggles, inspiring them with his story, his words of wisdom and his attitude.<\/p>\n

Mailata can relate to their struggles, having spent his first two seasons in the league as a developmental backup and having suffered season-ending injuries both years.<\/p>\n

Hinton, a sixth-round offensive tackle from Michigan, has spent the entire season on injured reserve with a back injury. Sometimes he worries about his future or gets upset about his present situation, but then he sees Mailata having fun, and that changes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are days where I come in and I\u2019m like, \u2018I really don\u2019t want to be here,\u2019\u201d Hinton said. \u201cBut I\u2019m like, \u2018You know what? I\u2019d rather be here than in a ditch somewhere.\u2019 So there are definitely worse places to be. Just seeing him be energetic is helpful. It\u2019s kind of like a bounce back and forth. Hopefully, I will do that for him, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Toth knows how important it is for players to have Mailata in their corner during tough times. He has guided him through criticism and helped restore his confidence and kept the offensive line together through a challenging season. <\/p>\n

Philadelphia\u2019s banged-up front has played poorly all year, contributing to the Eagles\u2019 offensive struggles, including during the team\u2019s three-game losing streak from Week 12 to Week 14. During the playoffs, the 11-5 Eagles will need Mailata to play well and make everyone around him better to go on a Super Bowl run again. <\/p>\n

\"EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles offensive lineman Brett Toth (64) and Jordan Mailata (68) walk off the field after an NFL football game Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo\/Adam Hunger)AP<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s always going to be there for you,\u201d Toth said. \u201cFeel like in this world as well, the last thing you would want is to feel alone as an offensive lineman. If you\u2019re on an island, that\u2019s where bad things can happen. But knowing that even if it\u2019s a good day or a bad day, he\u2019s always going to be there for you the next day, that keeps you going.\u201d<\/p>\n

That quality, along with many others, makes Eagles coach Nick Sirianni<\/a> a big fan of Mailata, who was recently nominated as the team\u2019s Walter Payton Man of the Year award recipient.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe cares so deeply about his teammates and he\u2019s such a good example with how he works and how he\u2019s developed,\u201d Sirianni said in December. \u201cHas had a lot of success, contracts, accolades, all these different things. He\u2019s a great example. Then it really goes down to how much he cares about people: his teammates, his coaches, the people in the building. He\u2019s a special dude.\u201d<\/p>\n

By the time Mailata retires, a moment he hinted could come sooner than people expect, he hopes to have helped the Eagles find their next stars on the offensive line, believing this is the key to more playoff wins and Super Bowl victories. <\/p>\n

\u201cIn a sense, I\u2019d feel a type of way,\u201d Mailata said about not finding his replacement before retirement. \u201cYou just want to leave it in a good place. Leave it as you found it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"PHILADELPHIA \u2014 Last month, Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata had seen enough. Practice squad lineman Hollin Pierce arrived…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":645416,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2068],"tags":[94133,25,7,6,31185,242,109,2476],"class_list":{"0":"post-645415","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-philadelphia-eagles","8":"tag-0d6a2333","9":"tag-eagles","10":"tag-football","11":"tag-nfl","12":"tag-nflraw25","13":"tag-philadelphia","14":"tag-philadelphia-eagles","15":"tag-philadelphiaeagles"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/115819587020625439","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/645415","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=645415"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/645415\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/645416"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=645415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=645415"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=645415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}