New Patriots receiver Mack Hollins explains why he likes to go barefoot
When you see Mack Hollins out and about in Foxboro or warming up for the New England Patriots, there's a good chance your attention will go right to his feet. Not because he'll be wearing some fancy kicks, but because Hollins probably won't be wearing any shoes at all.
The 31-year-old receiver, who signed a two-year deal worth $8.4 million with New England earlier this week, is a big fan of going barefoot. He started kicking off his sneakers when he trained and warmed up ahead of games shortly after he got into the NFL, but he decided to let his feet breath as much as possible a few years ago.
Fittingly, Hollins was barefoot when took the podium for his introductory press conference inside Gillette Stadium on Friday.
Why does Mack Hollins go barefoot?
Hollins obviously wears cleats come gametime, but believes there are lots of benefits to ditching the sneakers when he's training or just walking around. With his ten piglets exposed inside Gillette Stadium, he explained that this way of life started early in his career when he was with the Philadelphia Eagles. He believes going barefoot benefits his health and durability on the field.
"It started six or seven years ago. I guess it started when I was a little kid, but restarted about 6-7 years ago," Hollins explained. "I met some trainers called Melbourne Muscular Therapy in Australia. I flew them from Australia to Philly. They showed up and the way you look at me is the way I was looking at them. They were walking around Philly barefoot. I thought they might have sent the wrong guys out here.
"But that was their philosophy, being barefoot and getting back to your original ways of movement. That grew into me training barefoot all the time for two or three years," he continued. "Then probably in the last two or three years, I got [into the mindset of] what's the point?
"One less thing to pack," Hollins added. "Now the bag is under 50 pounds and I'm saving money. It all comes together."
It's much easier to rock the barefoot look in places like Miami and Las Vegas than it is in Buffalo, where Hollins spent his 2024 season. But even then, he was mostly barefoot despite the frigid temps in western New York.
"The cold is – I live in south Florida in the offseason. I think you can only get so used to the cold. Below 35, I'll put some shoes on," Hollins admitted. "I'm barefoot, but I'm not a dummy."
Hollins arrived in New England during a bit of a warm spell, though hopefully he has something to cover up after the sun goes down and the temperature flirts with the freezing mark. But he's broken that rule for big games before, as he did last season for the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Though when Hollins arrived for the AFC title bout at Arrowhead Stadium, the attention wasn't just on his bare feet.
Yeah, this man is not afraid to channel his inner-animal. On Friday, he was sporting a "Free the Feet" sweatshirt, which he also dons during his pre-game warmups.
Mack Hollins already has a relationship with Drake Maye
Hollins said he'll wear the No. 13 in New England, which was his number during his college days at North Carolina. As a seven-year vet in the NFL, he obviously didn't cross paths with Drake Maye, but Hollins is still plenty familiar with the second-year quarterback and his family.
Hollins overlapped with Maye's older brother, Luke, and the two became friends during their time at Chapel Hill. He met the entire Maye clan while at UNC, and is eager to get to work with Drake in New England.
"I know he made a good decision on colleges. Tar Heel guys are just a little bit better," Hollins said with a smile Friday. "Their family is great. I think that's important at any position, but especially quarterback because I think there's so much on the shoulders of quarterbacks, especially in today's game.
"He was raised well, but then he's a fierce competitor. Just from watching him and playing against him, I know that," Hollins said of his new QB. "I know that and I'm excited to get opportunities to play with him and catch the ball."
Hollins caught passes from Buffalo's Josh Allen last season, hauling in 31 receptions for 378 yards and a career-high five touchdowns from the NFL's MVP. Allen is a master at improvisation before firing off a deep pass, something we saw glimpses of from Maye during his rookie season.
Hollins believes what he learned from his lone season with the Bills will help him when he goes out to catch passes from Maye this season.
"I think one thing I learned playing with Josh is you got to have some good conditioning, because the play is not over," he said. "And being able to see that in Drake's game is great. Just carry it over and always be available, because you never know what Drake might spin out of, duck under, jump over, and you got to be there, because there's nothing worse as a player -- and this is little league when I used to do it when I was a quarterback -- you come out of a cool move in the backfield and you look and your receivers are already walking thinking you got tackled."
Hollins said he likes to push his teammates, though he's learned not to push them too far. He should bring a good attitude into a young receivers room in New England, and it sounds like he'll form quite the connection with Maye on the field.
Time will tell if he can get his quarterback and fellow receivers to start rocking the barefoot look as well.
