'I didn't really view it as the end': Brutal AFL reality set Aussie punter Michael Dickson on life-changing path to Super Bowl
Australia could have its second Super Bowl winner in as many years, when punter Michael Dickson takes the field for Seattle against New England on February 9.
In what is a huge win for the NFL as it hosts its first regular season game at the MCG in October, it's also a testament to the athletic talent Down Under, with both Jordan Mailata and Dickson in the upper echelon of their positions.
In his eighth season in the NFL, Dickson was named in the top 50 Seahawks in franchise history in 2025, while Mailata's story from a seventh round pick to one of the best left tackles in the league is well known.
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Mailata played lower grades for South Sydney in the NRL and Dickson also has his roots in local footy, coming up through the Sydney Swans Academy, before paving a path to the NFL.
Speaking to Nine's Today, Dickson said not being drafted in 2014 by the AFL did not kill his spirit.
"I didn't really view it as the end," Dickson said of his draft miss. "I kind of viewed it as, 'I'll have a break from footy and give this a shot, see if I can crack into American football'.
"And it was, the next opportunity for me, and, kind of just took it in my stride, to be honest.
Michael Dickson speak to Today. Nine
"It definitely started at the Swans academy. They definitely prepared me for a lot of this stuff, moving over here, and how to be a pro, pro athlete, and how to be a professional.
"I did my trial with Prokick Australia in 2015 and then I was training with them for a few months, and then they had Texas (University) on the phone.
"Texas wanted a guy to go punt there, so I got offered a scholarship to play at Texas, played there for three years, and then got drafted by Seattle."
As for the pressure he'll be feeling in the lead up to the Super Bowl on February 9, Dickson said his job as a professional athlete is to compartmentalise.
Dickson in action for the Seahawks. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
"You kind of try not to let it be too big for yourself, so you do a lot of mental preparation and kind of do your routine that you've formulated over all these years," he said.
"I try to not let it be bigger than it is, for me, that's, that's the approach that I'm taking into the game."
However, there are also other distractions associated with the game that has nothing to do with playing.
"Just dealing with a lot of the logistical stuff at the moment. Like plane tickets, hotels, family stuff, so, it's starting to sink in, I'm really excited."
