Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Jordan Mailata (68) addresses media during training camp at NovaCare Complex.
Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle and Australia native Jordan Mailata questioned the Los Angeles Rams’ travel approach following their 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football in Australia.
The Rams traveled to Australia just ahead of their Week 1 matchup but struggled against San Francisco, prompting questions about whether their schedule gave players enough time to adjust after the lengthy trip. Mailata, who has extensive experience traveling between the United States and Australia, believes arriving earlier would have been beneficial.
The Athletic’s Zach Berman shared Mailata’s comments Saturday via X, formerly known as Twitter.
“I would have recommended going out early. …I've done it in economy, premium economy, business class. And I've done it all. I have routines for all three if I can't get business class. But I recommend it just because the flight itself is so long, I don't think 24 hours is enough to flush out just the flight itself. You need at least couple of days. But hey, what do I know? I'm not a sports scientist. I don't know who came up with it. But I know I literally have a game plan for my flights when I go back home. You just have to.”
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Mailata was born in Bankstown, New South Wales, and grew up in Australia before pursuing an NFL career with Philadelphia. His experience regularly making the long-distance trip gave him a unique perspective on the challenges the Rams faced.
Los Angeles will now have to recover from both the travel and a 20-point loss to its NFC West rival to begin the season.
Meanwhile, Mailata and the Eagles are preparing for their own Week 1 matchup against the Washington Commanders on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX as Philadelphia looks to start its 2026 campaign with a victory.