‘Getting back to your original ways of movement’: New Patriots WR explains why he often goes barefoot
Though Mack Hollins walks around barefoot, he says he does put shoes on when it’s 35 degrees or colder.
New Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins isn’t afraid to be himself.
Whether he’s walking outside barefoot or showing up to games wearing wacky costumes, he’s not shy about making a statement.
Hollins, who agreed to a two-year contract with New England earlier this week, arrived barefoot for his introductory press conference with the media on Friday. This isn’t rare for him — it’s actually the norm for him.
Naturally, reporters asked Hollins why he chooses to do this.
“It started about six or seven years ago. … Met some trainers called Melbourne Muscular Therapy out in Australia. They showed up — I flew them out from Australia to (Philadelphia) — they showed up and the way y’all look at me is how I was looking at them,” Hollins said. “They were walking around Philly barefoot and I was like, ‘I might have sent the wrong guys out here.’
“But that was their philosophy, is being barefoot and kind of getting back to your original ways of movement. That grew into me training barefoot all the time for about two years, three years. And then probably in the last two or three years I kind of went to the, ‘What’s the point?’ One less thing to pack, now the bag’s under 50 pounds. Like, I’m saving money. It really comes all together.”
Hollins, 31, most recently played for the Buffalo Bills last season and began to receive attention on social media for his lack of shoes when he would arrive at the stadium on game days. Rain or shine, he would be walking from his car to the entrance with no socks or shoes — just his bare feet.
Playing for the Bills last year and now the Patriots this year, Hollins has had to adjust to some cold temperatures compared to those in south Florida, where he said he lives during the offseason. He said he does wear shoes when it’s below a certain temperature because he isn’t “a dummy.”
“I think you can only get so used to the cold. Below 35 [degrees] I’ll put shoes on,” Hollins said. “There’s a few times where no matter what the temperature is at, I’ll put them on. … I’m barefoot, but I’m not a dummy. That’s the saying I like to live by.”
Not only does he often show up to NFL stadiums without shoes on, but he will also come to work donning unique costumes. For example, he most recently arrived to the 2024 AFC Championship game in Buffalo against the Kansas City Chiefs in an Animal costume from The Muppets (yes, without shoes).
Hollins also wore a Fred Flintstone costume ahead of the Bills’ wild card bout with the Denver Broncos. A mad scientist costume also made an appearance before a regular season game in December.
It’s difficult to envision Hollins meshing with a certain former New England head coach. But, he does have a history with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels; Hollins played under then-head coach McDaniels on the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022.
Hollins’s production on the field isn’t eye-popping, but an existing connection between himself and his new OC doesn’t hurt. New England needs to improve its wide receiver room for quarterback Drake Maye; perhaps a veteran in Hollins can lend a hand.
He spoke about McDaniels’s offense and said he thinks he can succeed in it on his new team.
“The expectation (in McDaniels’s offense) is that you’re capable of doing whatever is asked of you,” Hollins said. “Whether that is playing inside, outside, if he wants me to block, if he wants me to run, if he wants me to catch, if he wants me to pass, whatever it is, that’s the expectation of every guy. And I think I do well in that because I’m willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win.”
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