Rugby star Jordan Petaia has just signed a three-year deal with the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers, after chatting with Louis Rees-Zammit about the move from rugby to American football. Petaia, who’s 32 times capped for Australia, joins the Chargers as a tight-end. He’d been training at the IMG academy in Florida as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program, following in Rees-Zammit’s footsteps who did the same last year.
The Chargers officially announced the deal with a friendly welcome on social media. Petaia’s manager, Andrew Fairbairn, mentioned that it was a big gamble for Petaia to leave rugby for the NFL, but they felt the Chargers were the best fit after speaking with several teams.
Before taking the leap, Petaia reached out to Rees-Zammit, who had already gone through the process of switching from rugby to football. Rees-Zammit gave Petaia some solid advice on adjusting to the game, stressing the importance of hard work, focusing on the present, and keeping things in perspective.
Petaia’s NFL ambitions were actually hinted at by Rees-Zammit last October in an interview, where he casually dropped that a talented Australian rugby player was planning to make the switch. Rees-Zammit, now a part of the Jacksonville Jaguars, signed a contract extension for the 2025/26 season.
Both players are now hoping to have similar success to fellow Aussie Jordan Mailata, who was instrumental in the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl victory. Petaia is excited to be part of a select group of athletes who’ve successfully made the jump from rugby to American football.
Rugby Star Joins NFL Franchise After Chatting with Louis Rees-Zammit
