Sep 8, 2024; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins (13) reacts to scoring a touchdown. / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
In his one season with the Buffalo Bills, Mack Hollins became known for his wild pre-game outfits and strange habits such as not eating vegetables and eschewing shoes whenever possible.
He also showed his disdain for soup, once telling a reporter that eating soup makes you soft. “Shouldn’t be eating soup,” said Hollins. “You’ve never seen a lion eat soup. You’ve never seen a gorilla. You’ve never seen anything savage eat soup.”
Aug 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins (13) looks on against the Pittsburgh Steelers. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
That is why Bills Mafia embraced Hollins, who quickly became a fan favorite in Buffalo. Bills Mafia, media and, most importantly, his teammates showed appreciation for his presence. Plus, he really good at playing football, which is why the New England Patriots snapped up him up as soon as they could, signing Hollins to a two year deal deal on Monday, worth a potential $10.4 million.
It’s no surprise the Patriots locked Hollins down, reuniting him with Pats OC Josh McDaniels who had Hollins with the Las Vegas Raiders — Hollins best year as a pro. Hollins is a versatile special teams player who also caught 31 balls for 378 yards and five touchdowns, including three big catches for 73 yards and a touchdown from Josh Allen in the AFC championship game.
Hollins stats don’t overwhelm, true, but they are better than they appear when you consider he was 87th in the league in targets in an offense that was hugely successful with OC Joe Brady’s “everyone eats” philosophy. His percentage of catches that have gone for a touchdown since he’s been in the NFL is a very good 10.7% — a number that shot up to 16% last season with the Bills.
The Patriots paid Hollins $4.2 million per year, above his predicted market value, but not an outrageous amount for a versatile player who makes plays in big moments and is universally beloved by his teammates as an integral part of the locker room. Every Super Bowl team needs a Hollins and the Bills made a big mistake letting theirs walk to Foxboro.
Jan 26, 2025; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins (13) makes a catch for a touchdown against Kansas City Chiefs during the first half in the AFC Championship game. / Denny Medley-Imagn Images
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