Jordan Mailata: “The legend of Jason Kelce will live forever”
It’s a foregone conclusion that Jason Kelce will be inducted into the Philadelphia Eagles’ Hall of Fame whenever he decides to hang up his cleats. He could be fitted for a Gold Jacket in Canton when all is said and done, although that is a debate for another day.
In the meantime, you could easily argue that no player has understood the temperament and passion of the City of Brotherly Love better than Kelce. That’s saying something considering the fan-favorite center is a native of Cleveland. He is Philly’s adopted son in every way. So, as the perennial All-Pro gets ready to begin his 13th NFL season, his indebted teammates are starting to write the foreword to his legendary tale. Better yet, let’s call it a hero’s origin story.
Left tackle Jordan Mailata wasted no time in supplying a definition for his mentor and friend: “The epitome of a football player and a true leader and captain,” Jordan Mailata told reporters when asked about what Kelce means to the team. He was just getting started dropping kudos on his proud bandmate from one of the most successful Christmas groups of all time.
“To me, he’s a legend and the legend of Jason Kelce is forever going to live in these hallways,” Mailata said. “And it’s not even myth anymore, you know, people talk about myths … no, the legend of Jason Kelce is going to be a real story. One day his picture is going to be up here on the walls and, like me, the young cats walking into the building are not going to know who he is and they’re going to find out who he is later on.”
Landon Dickerson’s Best Man: ‘Building My Circle of Trust’
If Jordan Mailata and Jason Kelce share a thicker-than-blood relationship, then the big Aussie’s bond with second-year guard Landon Dickerson is akin to cornstarch in water. Those two players embarked on a well-publicized “bromance” last offseason and it has bloomed even bigger, more beautiful flowers in 2023.
Jordan Mailata recently revealed that he was the best man at Dickerson’s 150-person wedding to his college sweetheart on March 25 in Greenville, South Carolina. Pictures from the ceremony had leaked out, but it was interesting to hear Mailata talk about how much it meant for him to receive the honor.
Remember, they have only known each other for two years. The Eagles drafted Dickerson in Round 2 (37th overall) of the 2021 draft, then watched him almost immediately slide into the starting left guard spot right next to Mailata on the offensive line. Bromance complete.
“It’s quality time over quantity,” Jordan Mailata said of his relationship with Dickerson. “It means a lot, man. It’s tough because, for me, my family is back home in Australia and they are about 20-plus hours away, and it’s all about finding people I can really connect with here and building my circle of trust. And Landon back in 2021, we haven’t known each other for that long, but I feel like the man knows me like the back of his hand, and I know him like the back of mine.”
