'Mr. President, this is my first time here!': How Eagles' Jordan Mailata sang at the White House

Jordan Mailata played in the Super Bowl and sang on national television. It takes a lot to put him on edge. 

Performing at the White House in front of the leader of the free world qualifies.

“I was fucking nervous!” he said.

A few weeks ago, Mailata received an invitation to a holiday party at the White House scheduled for last week. It’s exclusive enough. But two days before, he learned that he would sing at the party as a surprise for First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. (“A performance from her favorite band from her favorite team!” he said.)

He briefly debated whether he should attend. 

“Do I really want to go sing? Especially when we’re losing?” Mailata said. “Then I said ‘fuck it.’ Like, it’s an opportunity. President’s inviting you — or his team is — to surprise (First Lady Dr. Jill Biden). Couldn’t pass up the opportunity.”

The First Lady is a noted Eagles fan who grew up in the Philadelphia area and attended Upper Moreland High School. Mailata has become one of the Eagles’ best and most popular players in his six years with the franchise, although he’s also known for his voice after appearing on the “Masked Singer” and impressing the past two years on A Philly Special Christmas — the album he makes with Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson (and with the help of Connor Barwin). Johnson and Barwin also visited the White House with Mailata, who sang “This Christmas.” 

“I was almost as nervous — if not more — than the Super Bowl,” Mailata said.

And by his own admission, he nailed the gig. He performed with the same band from the album, but no Patti LeBelle this time. Johnson and Barwin accompanied him on stage.

“Way to rise to the fucking pressure!” he said with a laugh.

Mailata, 26, said the White House looks “exactly like the movies!” He figured he would have a chance to say hello to President Biden. Turns out, Biden asked if the group had ever seen the Oval Office.

“Mr. President, this is my first time here!” Mailata said, recounting the conversation. “I don’t know how I got in here, I’m not even from the country!”

They spoke for 45 minutes — and didn’t run out of topics. Mailata admitted that the First Lady is better versed on the Eagles than President Biden.  

Mailata simply uttering the sentence is remarkable enough. He’s a 26-year-old from Australia who never played football before being drafted by the Eagles. He didn’t start a game until his third season. He signed a $64-million contract before emerging as a full-time starter. He’s a key player on one of the NFL’s best teams. He’s made waves in Hollywood. And now he performed with the President as his audience. 

“It’s wild, man,” Mailata said. “If you told me a couple years ago I’d even be a starter in the NFL, I’d probably laugh in your face. But if you told me that I was going to be singing in the White House and then having the opportunity to spend time with the President of the United States of America and his wife, the First Lady, I’d probably just walk away from you.”

Two days after he attended, he shook his head at the memory. 

“Once in a lifetime,” he said.

Unless the Eagles win the Super Bowl, a performance for which he might be less nervous. Then he’ll be invited back to the White House. He’ll even know his way around the Oval Office.