Jamaican Olympic discus champion Roje Stona and Australian rugby union star Jordan Petaia are switching to a new sport, aiming to become NFL players.
Stona and Petaia are among 14 athletes selected for the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP) program. The athletes representing 13 countries are to train for 10 weeks at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
They are to learn on the field and in the classroom how to play football before showcasing their skills in front of NFL scouts at the University of South Florida’s Pro Day in March.
Photo: AP
Stona, who turns 26 in February, won gold at the Paris Games in the men’s discus, setting an Olympic record with a personal best of 70m.
The 24-year-old Petaia earned 31 caps for Australia as a Wallaby — the youngest player to represent the team in two Rugby World Cups (Japan, 2019 and France last year). Petaia played his club rugby for the Queensland Reds, making his debut as their youngest-ever player in 2018.
“The decision to step away from rugby hasn’t been easy and one that took a great deal of consideration,” Petaia 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,” he said. “Thank you to everyone involved in the NFL IPP program for giving me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Other players selected for the program include Laitia Moceidreke (Australia) and Laki Tasi (Australia), Janeiro Wakeham (Fiji), Joachim Trouabal (France), Maceo Beard (France), Leander Wiegand (Germany), Aaron Sexton (Ireland), Nathaniel Salmon (New Zealand), Paschal Ekeji Jr (Lesotho /Nigeria/South Africa), Dante Barnett (UK), Mapalo “Maz” Mwansa (UK/Zambia) and T.J. Maguranyanga (Zimbabwe).
A group of specialists, consisting of international kickers and punters, are also to join the wider Class of 2025 in the coming weeks.
Since the NFL began this program, 41 international players have signed with teams and 23 are on rosters, including Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit, who initially signed with the Kansas City Chiefs and now is on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad.
Six players — Jordan Mailata (Australia), Jakob Johnson (Germany), Efe Obada (UK), Sammis Reyes (Chile), Thomas Odukoya (Netherlands) and David Bada (Germany) — have been on active rosters.
Mailata, a former Australian rugby player, is the star of the program. Selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round of the 2018 draft, the 2.02m, 166kg Mailata became the team’s starting left tackle in 2020 and has developed into one of the best players at his position.
For the first time during the this season, each team has a 17th roster spot on the practice squad specifically available for an international player. Teams also have been permitted to elevate an international practice squad player to the active roster a maximum of three times throughout the season — increasing opportunities for players to develop and get a chance to play.
Teams receive one training camp roster exemption for a qualifying international player.
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