No Shoes, Yes Service? Patriots' Mack Hollins Continues To Just Be Himself

FOXBORO --- For nearly an hour, New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins strolled the perimeter of the practice fields to sign autographs and take pictures with fans.

After he had gotten done with his media availability, he turned around and spotted Efton Chism III -- who joined him at the hip for his autograph session. He began sprinting across the field to a waiting Chism with his hands high in the air.

It was the full Hollins experience at training camp. He's also finding that the area is fully embracing everything that comes with being Mack Hollins.

"Now they're kinda letting me slide being barefoot in restaurants and stuff because they know who I am," he told reporters after practice. "At first, they're just like some homeless guy (is) coming in here, but now it's like, that's the mechanic homeless guy, so it's alright."

From the lack of shoes -- he said he wants to feel comfortable when he's eating by himself -- to the cut up undershirt (more on that later) and mechanic persona on social media, Hollins has just always been himself.

Jul 25, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins (13) walks barefoot to the practice field at training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Like that should catch anyone by surprise.

Welcome To Year 2 Of The Mack Hollins Experience

Now heading into his 10th season in the NFL, and second with the Patriots, Hollins is channeling that off-the-field energy and bringing it into training camp.

"This is my favorite time of the year because you're competing and everybody's competing at the highest level to earn a job," Hollins said. "I love it. I love the schedule. I love wall-to-wall ball. I love staying in a hotel. I don't know, I guess that's just me."

He's taken a backseat in the statistical output department through the first two days, but did have a strong catch on an in-breaking route during team drills. Instead, he's finding a way to help the team anyway he can -- "I'm a ball player," he remarked after practice -- and let some of the younger guys lean on him for support.

Chism was one of those players who leaned on Hollins for support last year. That's continued into 2026, on the field and off.

"I told him, 'Take everything I do and then change it to what's best for you.' And that's what I've seen him do," Hollins said. "If I'm doing something and he's not doing it, he's going to hear it ... He's getting a little big. He can start saying stuff to me when I'm not doing it, so he keeps me honest too.

"But it's been, it's been really cool to watch him grow, not only as a player on the field, but off, and understanding how to be a pro and things it takes to be great and sustain that for more than a season and not just be like 'Oh it's a guy who's shining in a training camp for one year because he's small and white. Efton's a baller, that's why he's shining."

One thing that's always stood out about the 32-year-old is just how authentically himself he is. Under his practice jersey was his undershirt, sliced into a bunch of different pieces. It's to help keep his fingers dry and to avoid sweating during the long summer workouts. But he was missing one right in the middle because a fan wanted one of them.

"It's practical, but also looks great," Hollins said, before saying that he wouldn't be allowed to wear it in a game because the league doesn't "let you do anything fun."

Hollins Has Become A True Fan Favorite

What is fun for Hollins is interacting with the fans, some who may be diehards and others who might get his name wrong.

"They stayed out there for two hours, some three hours. Some at 6:30 or 7:30 when I drive in in the morning, they're already lined up out there," Hollins said when asked about why he stuck around for so long to sign. "Some of them don't even know who I am. They be calling me Mack Collins and like 'Hey crazy hair guy. Hey what's his name?' And that's fine. I don't care.

"Maybe that'll put a smile on their face and will etch some memory in their mind six years from now, 10 years from now, 20 years. I was at Patriots practice, this dude with crazy hair and no shoes signed my autograph, like an autograph for me. So I just do it."

Hollins remains the best blocking wide receiver on the roster. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 221 pounds, he has the size to back it up. He'll be a big part of the offense, maybe not as Drake Maye's go-to target, but as a bigger-bodied player who can help move the chains when needed.

He doesn't feel like his NFL journey is nearing a conclusion. In fact, Hollins may just want to play for another decade.

"Yeah, I’m halfway there. I got 10 more (years) in me," Hollins said. "So if they can stop me, then maybe I’ll stop early. But they haven’t stopped me."

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