Mack Hollins: Career Stats, Personality, and the Full Story Behind the Patriots WR

Mack Hollins: The NFL’s Most Interesting Wide Receiver, Explained

From Zero Scholarship Offers to Super Bowl Champion

Mack Hollins walked onto the University of North Carolina football team with no scholarship, no guaranteed roster spot, and no particular reason to believe he’d last a season. He’s now a two-time Super Bowl participant, a team captain at four different NFL franchises, and a man who showed up to Super Bowl LX media night in a prison jumpsuit, handcuffs, leg shackles, and a Hannibal Lecter mask. These two facts are not in conflict. They’re the same person.

Born September 16, 1993, in Rockville, Maryland, Hollins grew up playing football, basketball, and lacrosse at Thomas S. Wootton High School. Nobody came calling with a scholarship. After graduation he enrolled at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia — where he played alongside future NFL quarterback Cardale Jones — and used that year to generate interest. He got a walk-on offer from UNC, contingent on being accepted by the school academically. He was. He showed up.

His parents, Richard and Karyn Hollins, raised him in a household that emphasized work ethic over headlines. That stuck.

What He Did at UNC Should’ve Made Him Famous Earlier

Most walk-ons become depth pieces. Hollins became something different.

As a freshman in 2013 he was named special teams captain, appearing in all 13 games. As a sophomore he finished with 35 receptions for 613 yards and eight receiving touchdowns — both team highs — and earned honorable mention All-ACC. In a single game against Virginia, he caught two touchdowns of 57 and 63 yards, making him the first Tar Heel to have two 50-plus-yard TD receptions in one game since Hakeem Nicks in 2008. He also recovered an onside kick that sealed a one-point win.

Junior year he led every major-college player in the country with 24.8 yards per reception. That’s not a misprint. He pulled a 91-yard touchdown pass in Kenan Stadium, the longest play in the stadium’s history at that point.

The Eagles used a fourth-round pick — 118th overall — on him in the 2017 NFL Draft. In retrospect, that looks like a bargain.

The Eagles Years: Super Bowl Champion Before Most People Knew His Name

His first NFL start didn’t come right away. Hollins contributed primarily on special teams in 2017, but he made his presence felt as a receiver too: a 64-yard touchdown grab from Carson Wentz against the Washington Redskins in Week 7 announced that this wasn’t just a gunner and blocker. He could go get it deep.

In February 2018, Hollins was part of the Eagles team that beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII. Mostly on special teams. Nobody was writing feature stories about him. He was fine with that.

A groin injury put him on injured reserve before the 2018 season even started. In 2019, he gave up his jersey number — No. 10 — to returning veteran DeSean Jackson, switched to No. 16, and was released in December. Small decisions reveal character. He didn’t make a scene about the number.

The Dolphins claimed him off waivers the next day.

Four Teams in Five Years — and What Each One Showed

The stretch from 2019 through 2024 is where Hollins built the reputation that eventually landed him a two-year deal worth $8.4 million in New England.

Miami was limited work — four games in 2019, then a full two seasons where he caught 14 passes for 223 yards in 2020 but still found the end zone four times. His per-catch average was 15.9 yards. He wasn’t volume; he was efficiency when used.

Las Vegas in 2022 was different. Injuries opened the Raiders’ receiving corps, and Hollins filled the space: 57 receptions, 690 yards, four touchdowns. That’s the career year. It’s what happens when a receiver with his size gets genuine target volume. He was voted team captain. Teammates don’t vote for guys who coast.

Atlanta in 2023 was his worst season statistically — 18 catches, 251 yards, zero touchdowns in 17 games. The Falcons barely passed. Desmond Ridder was their quarterback. It wasn’t a Mack Hollins problem.

Buffalo in 2024 was a bounce-back. Brought in mainly as a blocking receiver and special teams contributor, he finished the year leading the Bills in touchdown receptions with five — a career high at the time. Josh Allen doesn’t throw touchdowns to people who aren’t open.

Signing With New England and the 2025 Season

The Patriots signed Hollins on March 14, 2025 — a two-year contract, $3.5 million guaranteed. He was 31. Coming off a career-high touchdown season. Coming into a system run by Josh McDaniels, who had coached him in Las Vegas. That context matters. McDaniels knew exactly what he was getting.

Hollins finished the 2025 regular season with 46 receptions for 550 yards and two touchdowns across 15 games — the second-highest reception and yardage totals of his career. His PFF overall grade was 67.5, ranking 51st among 81 qualified receivers. His receiving grade specifically was 68.9. His average depth of target: 13.3 yards, which puts him firmly in deep-threat/perimeter territory. He dropped zero passes on 64 targets.

He went on IR in late December with an abdominal injury. The Patriots activated him January 24, 2026, specifically for the AFC Championship Game against Denver. He caught two passes for 51 yards in a 10-7 win, helping New England advance to Super Bowl LX.

In the Super Bowl against Seattle, he caught four of eight targets for 78 yards and a touchdown. The Patriots lost 29-13. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported afterward that the Patriots paid out his $400,000 incentive despite him falling four catches short due to the injury. That’s not a standard team move.

His Connection With Drake Maye

Maye targeted Hollins repeatedly in high-leverage situations throughout the season: a 35-yard touchdown pass, a 31-yard completion in the AFC Championship, multiple 20-plus-yard catches against Denver. Hollins was the receiver a 22-year-old quarterback trusted when the down mattered.

Veteran receivers earn that trust by being where they’re supposed to be. Hollins was.

What He Actually Is as a Player

Hollins is 6-foot-4 and 221 pounds. He ran a 4.53 at the combine. That combination — big and not slow — makes him a legitimate downfield option who can also block in the run game. The Patriots used him in 12-personnel sets (two tight ends, two receivers) where his blocking fits naturally.

The Pats Pulpit scouting report from June 2025 is honest about where he’s limited: his burst and agility are average, his change of direction isn’t a weapon, and his average YAC of 3.2 yards over his career reflects the fact that he doesn’t make people miss after the catch. Six forced missed tackles across his entire career is a low number. He’s also occasionally over-aggressive as a blocker in ways that draw flags.

What he does well: uses his size to win jump balls, runs clean enough routes to get open at 13-plus yards, doesn’t drop catchable balls, and has never been the guy who quits on a route or phones in a special teams rep. That last part keeps journeyman receivers employed. His post-practice conditioning run is nicknamed “the Mack Mile” by teammates.

The Barefoot Thing, Explained

Hollins hasn’t worn shoes off a football field in years. He calls cleats “foot prisons.” Teammates call him “Tarzan.”

It started when trainers he was working with showed up to his facility in Philadelphia barefoot. He thought it was ridiculous. Then he visited them in Australia, trained with them barefoot for an extended period, and didn’t look back. He walks the field before every game without shoes. At the Super Bowl. In New England in November. Wherever.

He arrived at Super Bowl LX media night in a full prison jumpsuit with handcuffs, leg shackles, and a Hannibal Lecter-style mask. When asked about football, he smiled: “No football, only fun questions on Mondays.” He told a reporter that after the NFL he’d probably go live in the woods. Maybe try regenerative agriculture. Maybe do a season of the show “Alone” in Alaska. He wasn’t entirely joking.

He has three pet snakes. He dislikes house cats specifically. He used to ride his bike to Eagles practice. None of this affects his ability to run a deep crossing route, which is why teammates find it endearing rather than annoying.

On Instagram he has 486,000 followers. On TikTok he posts life hacks and home improvement content. He offers monthly challenges to followers. His personal social brand is more coherent than most verified athletes half his age.

Special Olympics, Mack Book Mondays, and What He’s Actually About Off the Field

His involvement with Special Olympics started at UNC. He’s been a volunteer since before anyone was paying him to care. In 2023 he was named a Global Ambassador for the organization — the same title held by a small group of athletes and entertainers globally. He leads every team he’s played for in community service hours. Not tied for first. Leads.

In 2020 he started Mack Book Mondays and Fast Fact Fridays on social media: a series built around promoting literacy and education access, specifically targeting underserved communities. His thinking on inclusion isn’t performed. In 2024 he said: “Those with intellectual disabilities over here, those without over here — that’s the complete opposite of what it should be. Everybody should be together, because they can do everything that we can do, maybe in a different way.”

He’s also a real estate investor. He’s been through enough cities and enough team transitions to understand that NFL money has a shelf life.

Personal Life

Hollins has been in a long-term relationship with Jennifer Lamorna, a dancer originally from England. Their daughter Jett was born January 25, 2022. Hollins is also a stepfather figure to Lamorna’s son Mason, born in 2010.

He keeps his family mostly out of public view, which given his social media presence takes some deliberate effort. The barefoot lifestyle and eccentric game-day arrivals get the attention. The family stays quiet.

Career Stats, Year by Year

Career totals through 2025 regular season: 208 receptions, 2,619 yards, 17 touchdowns across 127 games. His best season by volume was 2022 in Las Vegas. His best season by touchdowns was 2024 in Buffalo. He’s never had fewer than 12 yards per catch in any season where he had more than ten receptions.

Postseason 2025-26: 2 receptions, 51 yards in the AFC Championship. 4 receptions, 78 yards, 1 TD in Super Bowl LX.

Contract and Earnings

The two-year deal he signed with New England in March 2025 totals $8.4 million, with $3.5 million guaranteed. His 2026 base salary is approximately $2.9 million, with a cap hit around $5.25 million. According to public contract trackers, his career NFL earnings have exceeded $17 million. Estimated net worth as of 2026 sits between $11 and $12 million, accounting for real estate holdings and business interests outside football.

Worth noting: the Patriots voluntarily paid a $400,000 performance incentive he didn’t technically hit because injury kept him out. Teams don’t do that for players they’re indifferent about.

Fantasy Football: What He’s Actually Worth

In 2025 Hollins finished with 46 catches on 64 targets in 15 games. That’s a target rate of about 4.3 per game when healthy. In PPR formats that makes him a viable WR3 or flex option in 14-team leagues, and a depth piece worth stashing in 12-team leagues if Drake Maye’s development continues trending up.

The concerns for 2026 are real: he’s 32, he missed three games plus the stretch after December 27 with an abdominal injury, and the Patriots may add receivers in the draft. RotoBaller flagged him as a dynasty faller in the offseason specifically because of the roster retooling risk. That’s fair.

If he stays healthy and New England doesn’t dramatically upgrade the WR room, his floor is around 35 catches. His ceiling, if Maye gives him volume like the Raiders did in 2022, is a top-40 receiver season. The 2022 comp is worth keeping in mind: when Hollins gets targets, he doesn’t waste them.