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Kiwi Laekin Vakalahi never imagined a family vacation would lead him to the Super Bowl with the title challenging Philadelphia Eagles.
His American football career took off under the most unlikely of circumstances. His father, Frank Vakalahi, was on holiday in Hawaii when he bumped into someone who was friends with the Eagles international scout.
"They were at a University of Hawaii football game and bumped into a guy called Bill Carey. He made some calls to the Philadelphia Eagles scout just to see if there were any pathways me and my brothers could take," Vakalahi said.
While Carey was initially interested in Vakalahi's father, due to his physique, Frank wasn't too keen.
"They said, 'Hey man, you should play football. Look at you'. My Dad said, 'Nah, but I have some boys who like rugby though'," Vakalahi recalled.
Philadelphia Eagles tackle Laekin Vakalahi (67) walks to the field during joint training camp between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles on August 13, 2024 (Source: Getty)
The scout travelled to Wellington to put Vakalahi through a workout and impressed them enough to invite him to an Eagles' training camp in the off-season.
For a player who knew nothing about American football — aside from his experience playing the Madden video games — the opportunity was life-changing.
"Going from absolutely knowing nothing, from not knowing how many people line up on each side of the football side to practicing with a Super Bowl team, it's amazing."
After signing with the Eagles' practice squad last year, Vakalahi earned some game time in preseason and has continued to train with the main squad.
He's played alongside some of the NFL's biggest stars, including quarterback Jalen Hurts, running back Saquon Barkley, and offensive lineman Jordan Mailata.
For Vakalahi, Mailata, a former rugby player from South Sydney who made a similar transition to the NFL, has been a key mentor.
"He went through something similar to me and kind of guided me and gave me pointers and tips on things he wished he could have done."
Training with the Eagles has often felt surreal, he said.
"Sometimes, I step back and think, ‘I’m playing alongside the best players in the world."
The 21-year-old has signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent.
Sport
May 16, 2024
1:18
The Eagles are aiming for their first Super Bowl title in seven years, while the Kansas City Chiefs are looking to make history by winning a third championship in a row.
You can stream all the action from the Super Bowl, including Kendrick Lamar's halftime show, live and free on TVNZ+ and TVNZ 1 from 12pm on Monday.
