Exclusive: Jordan Mailata Breaks Silence on Rumors Around Eagles Locker-Room Dysfunction: “Trying to Fix Everything”

The Philadelphia Eagles descended into locker-room dysfunction last year before the postseason, and coach Nick Sirianni couldn’t rally the team. Jordan Mailata, who played Australian rugby before entering the NFL, joined us exclusively to reveal what went wrong and more about the Eagles’ intense season.

During the exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, Mailata also spoke about the upcoming NRL Telstra Premiership season on March 2, 2024. This rugby season, without using timeouts, pads, or helmets, is bringing up excitement in America for the first time and in the Super Bowl LVIII location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas. While discussing the Eagles’ performance and the locker room struggles, Mailata noted the ability to handle outside noises as a professional sports player.

Jordan Mailata admitted the team lost their mission?

Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata appeared in an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports. He was asked how he deals with outside noises as a professional athlete. Mailata responded, “As a professional athlete, you got to remember that outside noises. You can’t let that affect you as a person and you as a teammate.“

Elaborating further on the noise, the Eagles’ problems before the playoffs, and how the team subsided, the 26-year-old highlighted the team’s efforts to focus on their mission. Mailata acknowledged that external distractions sometimes entered the locker room and caused disruptions.

He continued that there “were a lot of things going on during the year, so it was a bit tough trying to manage and trying to fix everything, and as a team,” they were doing their best “to just keep everyone together, which we did for the majority, but it was just tough, man. It’s just tough. It was just a tough season the way it went.“

Read more: Nick Sirianni Drops Honest Remarks on Birds OC and DC Changes in Season-Ending Press Meet: “My Job Is to Be the Head Coach”

The Eagles started the 2023 season with a winning attitude. However, their quick downfall soon after their bye week resulted in multiple problems in the locker room, which eliminated them in the wild-card round and put them under harsh criticism.

What went wrong in the Eagles’ locker room?

Despite a strong start and a playoff appearance, the Eagles faced challenges at the end of the regular season, with a 1-5 downfall. As a result, the “mission and focus of the team” questions surrounded coach Nick Sirianni. Even though the team’s offense was filled with Pro Bowl talent, underperformance from each player led to frustration in the locker room before the postseason. Also, there were reports that sideline conflicts escalated into disagreements and finger-pointing. Changes in defensive coordinators worsened the situation, resulting in a 30th-place finish in points allowed.

Jalen Hurts‘ desired offensive direction didn’t materialize, causing further disappointment. It was reported that “a disconnect between Sirianni, Hurts, and offensive coordinator Brian Johnson affected the offense’s identity.” Despite expectations, the Eagles’ playoff game against the Buccaneers highlighted ongoing struggles, including controlling the line of scrimmage, running the ball, pressuring the opposing quarterback, and tackling. Addressing locker room tensions was crucial, with players handling issues internally rather than on social media due to the internet’s continuous backlashes and news with a bit of zest.

Now, Eagles fans hope for an offseason with many changes and expect that the new roster or staff can help the team win the championship next year.

Watch this Story: Coach Jim Harbaugh Sets The Record Straight On Michigan’s Sign-Stealing Incident