From New Zealand to the NFL: The six gamers with Kiwi hyperlinks who made it Stateside

Six years after switching from rugby league to American soccer, one-time South Sydney junior Jordan Mailata may turn into the second Australian to win a Tremendous Bowl.

Mailata, a 166kg offensive deal with for the Philadelphia Eagles, will full a movie-like storyline, beginning in Monday’s title sport in Arizona in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.

One other New Zealander may in the future function on the planet’s richest sports activities league with Eddie Osei-Nketia swapping sprinting for American soccer.

Osei-Nketia is ready to hitch the College of Hawaii school workforce as a large receiver and attainable operating again. Reaching the NFL could be an extended shot for him, however as Mailata has proven stranger issues have occurred.

READ MORE:
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* Jordan Mailata: The Samoan-Australian choirboy with a $US64m deal and Tremendous Bowl billing
* ‘Mother cannot lose’: Brothers put together for Tremendous Bowl showdown

BRENDON EGAN appears to be like on the six gamers who hail from New Zealand or have Kiwi connections, who’ve cracked the NFL’s common season.

Riki Ellison

Born in Christchurch, Ellison created historical past turning into the primary New Zealander to play within the NFL and win a Tremendous Bowl. A four-year school starter on the College of Southern California (USC), Ellison, now 62, gained a nationwide championship in 1978 as a freshman. Within the NFL, the within linebacker spent six years with the San Francisco 49ers between 1983-90, capturing three Tremendous Bowls throughout a dominant period for the workforce (1985, 1989, 1990) – enjoying alongside NFL greats Joe Montana and Jerry Rice. He completed his profession with the then-Los Angeles Raiders from 1990-92. Put up enjoying, Ellison grew to become a missile defence lobbyist in Washington, founding the Missile Defence Advocacy Alliance – a non-profit organisation launched in 2002. His son Rhett additionally performed within the NFL as a good finish.

Rhett Ellison

The son of Kiwi NFL pioneer Riki Ellison, California-raised Rhett spent eight seasons within the NFL as a good finish earlier than retiring from concussion in 2020. Rhett performed the majority of his profession with the Minnesota Vikings earlier than ending with the New York Giants. He briefly lived in Christchurch as a teen, attending St Andrew’s Faculty from the age of 5 to seven (1993-1995) after Riki introduced the household house. In a 2017 interview with Stuff, he fondly recalled his recollections on the college. “I needed to be taught to tie my tie earlier than I tied my footwear [at St Andrew’s], in order that was fascinating. I bear in mind the primary time going on the market [to play rugby] and throwing it ahead. Everybody was me like I used to be loopy.”

David Dixon

Papakura-raised Dixon’s journey to the NFL was some story. Noticed by an American school soccer expertise scout in an Auckland film queue, Dixon left New Zealand in late 1986 for a scholarship at Ricks Faculty in Idaho earlier than transferring to Arizona State College. Earlier than that, Dixon had been the 1986 Pukekohe Excessive College 1st XV rugby captain. Dixon, a proper guard on the offensive line, was chosen within the ninth spherical of the 1986 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, however by no means performed a sport for the workforce. He spent a decade defending the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterbacks from 1994-2004, enjoying 152 video games – probably the most by a New Zealander within the NFL. Dixon made Minnesota his house with daughter Tori successful a volleyball world championship gold medal in 2014 with the US ladies’s workforce.

Paul Lasike

Lasike as soon as attended a New Zealand under-17 rugby camp, operating round with future All Blacks Julian Savea and Charlie Ngatai. He went down a unique path, shifting to the US on a rugby scholarship at Brigham Younger College, however caught the soccer bug. A fullback in American soccer, Lasike was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Arizona Cardinals in 2015, however was waived. He latched on with the Chicago Bears, who he performed 10 NFL video games with from 2015-16.”It was fricking superior,” he stated. “It’s exhausting to clarify. While you run out it’s such a rush. The American tradition for sport is on a unique stage; it’s like soccer in South America or in England.” Now 32, Lasike returned to his past love of rugby, enjoying for the US nationwide workforce, with Harlequins within the English premiership, and in USA’s Main League Rugby.

Stephen Paea

Born in Auckland, however raised in Tonga, the place he performed rugby, Paea dreamed of being a No 8 for the All Blacks. His household moved to the US when he was 16, exhibiting promise in shot put and discus at highschool. Attending Oregon State, the place he performed for the Beavers from 2008-10, Paea stood out as a defensive deal with, shortly making a reputation for himself. Chosen by the Chicago Bears within the second spherical of the 2011 NFL Draft, Paea spent three years with the workforce earlier than stints with Washington, Cleveland, and Dallas, ending up in 2017 – making 129 profession tackles and producing 14 sacks.

Johan Asiata

Christchurch-born Asiata left New Zealand at a younger age, rising up in Hawaii, the place he attended the Nationwide Guard Youth Problem Academy, a navy college in Kapolei. An offensive lineman, Asiata performed school soccer on the College of Nevada, Las Vegas from 2007-08. Undrafted, he signed with the Bears in 2009 and performed two common season video games for the workforce as a guard in 2010. Asiata later performed within the Canadian Soccer League with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and BC Lions.

Almost made it: Tevita Finau

Finau was born in Hamilton, however spent his youth in Hawaii and Tonga. A defensive finish, he attended the College of Utah. An offseason or observe squad member for a number of NFL groups from 2012-15, together with Arizona, Philadelphia, Dallas, the New York Jets, and Houston, he rubbed shoulders with loads of NFL stars, however by no means made the ultimate roster lower and performed in an everyday season contest.