Former Australian rugby star Jordan Petaia has officially joined the Los Angeles Chargers, making a major career shift from rugby to American football.
The 25-year-old, who played 31 Tests and featured in two Rugby World Cups for the Wallabies, was selected through the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP) program. After a 10-week training stint at the IMG Academy in Florida, he secured a spot with the Chargers.
Petaia ended his rugby career in December after six years with the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby. He will now work with tight ends coach Andy Bischoff as he transitions into the new sport.
The move is deeply personal for Petaia, who shared that playing in the NFL was a dream he had with his late father. “He’d be looking down, shouting at me to take the opportunity. I think I would have regretted it if I didn’t,” he said.
The NFL’s IPP program, launched in 2017, provides elite athletes from other sports a pathway into professional American football.
