‘There’s no bad blood’: Wallabies star opens up on what killed his NFL dream

Wallabies back Jordan Petaia has revealed that a misdiagnosed hamstring injury cut short his NFL career with the Los Angeles Chargers. The 26-year-old signed a three-year contract through the International Player Pathway in April 2025 after leaving the Queensland Reds. However, training through what was initially diagnosed as minor tendonitis worsened the issue, leading to his release four months later via a medical settlement.

Following his NFL departure, Petaia played in France before signing with Japanese club Urayasu D-Rocks. Having dropped his weight back down to around 100kg from 110kg, he has rejoined the Wallabies squad in Perth ahead of Sunday's Test against South Africa at Optus Stadium, marking his first appearance in the national camp since the 2023 Rugby World Cup.