Jordan Mailata is Grateful to Jason Peters, Even if he Signs with the Cowboys
PHILADELPHIA – It’s been two years since Jason Peters last put on an Eagles uniform, yet his shadow still looms large inside the team’s training complex.
His Hall of Fame career was crafted in South Philly, the bodyguard for so many quarterbacks through the years, such as Michael Vick, Carson Wentz, and Nick Foles, and the tutor to so many tackles during his 11 years with the franchise, including his most recent pupil, Jordan Mailata.
“He will always be my mentor, taught me a lot in his time here,” said Mailata following Thursday’s practice. “I’m forever grateful for him.”
Nowadays, at the age of 40, Peters isn’t what he was, but he has yet to call it a career and let the clock start ticking toward likely enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
He has been talking to the Dallas Cowboys about stepping in at left tackle for Tyron Smith, who will miss the bulk of the season due to injury.
“If Tom Brady can play into his 40s, why can’t I?” Peters told NFL Media.
Peters played eight games with the Eagles in 2020, his final season with them.
He played 15 games for the Chicago Bears last year, but there were too many times he would limp off the field during games, forcing the Bears to shuttle in whoever was Peters’ backup.
It feels like the height of desperation for the Cowboys to bring in Peters, but they are in a bad spot.
“I’m not surprised,” said Mailata about Peters still looking to continue his career. “Dude can still play. … I hope he can get the opportunity he wants. But I’m not surprised, it’s JP, man. The bloke can do it.”
And when were the Eagles last in a bad spot at left tackle?
The organization has successfully transitioned from Tra Thomas, who was drafted in 1998 and was inducted into the Eagles’ Hall of Fame last year, to Peters, who will someday be inducted into the team’s hall, and now to Mailata, who may very well find himself joining Thomas and Peters in the Eagles’ Hall of Fame someday.
That’s a 24-year sustained run of success and counting at one position.
It was difficult to envision Mailata achieving that status, especially when, after arriving as a seventh-round pick after never having played organized football, he had trouble lacing up his shoulder pads.
Certainly, there have been other factors in the rapid rise of Mailata, such as the teaching of O-line coach Jeff Stoutland and Mailata’s own desire to be great, but Peters’ assistance cannot be overlooked.
The combination of all that led to Mailata signing a four-year contract extension just days before the Eagles opened the 2021 season in Atlanta that guaranteed him $40.85 million.
Perhaps he’ll even see his mentor this season when the Eagles and Dallas meet in Philly on Oct. 24 then again in Dallas on Christmas Eve.
“That’s going to be really strange,” he said. “That’s the one thing I did think about was seeing him in a Dallas Cowboys outfit. It’s kind of weird.”
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
