Veteran WR inspires teammates to go barefoot at Bills training camp

Veteran wide receiver Mack Hollins has sparked a new trend at Buffalo Bills training camp.

Kyle Silagyi | Jul 28, 2024

Jul 24, 2024; Rochester, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins (13) catches a pass during training camp at St. John Fisher University. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports / Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

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There’s a trend catching on across the St. John Fisher University campus as the Buffalo Bills progress through their 2024 training camp, an on-the-surface strange fad that seems to be genuinely aiding in the construction of camaraderie.

Members at all levels of the organization have started going barefoot in the weight room, walkthroughs, and general life, all taking inspiration from offseason acquisition Mack Hollins. The veteran wideout has long gone barefoot whenever possible, just another quirk that makes up his wholly unique and authentic personality. Quarterback Josh Allen revealed that he has started taking off his shoes in the weight room last Wednesday before offensive coordinator Joe Brady shared that he, too, has begun walking around barefoot.

They’re just two of the several people who have taken to the trend, with Hollins telling reporters after Sunday’s training camp practice that the fad is slowly spreading throughout the team.

“The guys are, they’re slowly doing it,” Hollins said. “It seems crazy what I do, and then we’re day four or five into camp, and their feet are killing them, and they take their shoes off and they’re like, ‘Oh, I kind of feel better.’ Why did you wait until day five? Why do you wait until your feet hurt to start working on them?

“Now the guys are slowly [coming around], and I’m like, I got you, I got you. It’s stacking up, we’ve got like 30 guys at walkthroughs that are barefoot now.”

Not all of Buffalo’s roster is as committed to the ‘grounded’ lifestyle as Hollins, as they’re not yet operating without shoes in their day-to-day lives. Hollins, a one-of-one type personality who also eats with his hands and despises cats, has gone barefoot whenever possible throughout the past “two or three years,” first noticing the benefits while rehabbing from a significant lower-body injury he suffered in 2018.

“About eight years ago, I tore my groin and just wasn’t getting back healthy,” Hollins said. “Found these guys from Australia called Melbourne Muscular Therapy. I flew them out to Philly, I was with the Eagles at the time, flew them out, they showed up [with] no shoes on in Philly.

Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins runs a route and turns to catch a pass. Hollins stayed after the official practice ended and practiced a few more passing drills. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and

“I’m like, what the hell are y’all doing? The same way y’all look at me, that’s how I was looking at them. They’re like, ‘This is what we do, we’re always barefoot except for bathrooms and airports. We train barefoot.’ So I started training with them barefoot, and at the time I couldn’t walk, I was ready to retire. And they got me back healthy.”

Hollins went on to tell reporters about the benefits of going barefoot, stating that shoes are beneficial in certain situations, but not a constant necessity.

“Strength of the foot, strength of the ankle, strength of the knee, free electrons from the body, where grounding comes from, so you feel more grounded,” Hollins said. “You’re cleaner, you move faster, you strengthen the whole body so your knee doesn’t have to take so much pressure since your ankle’s not developed.

“Shoes are a tool, you wouldn’t walk around with a hammer just because you have to nail something every once in a while. Why do you walk around in shoes just because you might step on something every once in a while?”

Buffalo’s roster taking to the barefoot way of life is just a testament to the impact that Hollins has already made on his teammates, something that has been oft-spoken about since the wideout inked a one-year deal with the Bills in March. His peers have continued to sing his praises at training camp, with Allen referring to him as “one of the all-time greats” and Brady describing the veteran as “one of [his] favorite people [he’s] ever met.”

Hollins touched on the first impression he’s made on those around him, implying that people may be envious of the disregard with which he treats societal expectations.

“I’m always honored when my teammates show that type of respect for me, but I think it’s because they want to live vicariously through me,” Hollins said. “Deep down they want to take their shoes off and walk around with shirts that are cut, let their hair do whatever they want, and just live life. They’re still in that box, they’re not there yet.”

Hollins hasn’t been too impactful an offensive presence throughout his six professional seasons, his best statistical outing being a 57 reception, 690-yard campaign with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022. He’s primarily been a special teamer throughout his NFL stint, a phase of the game many assumed he would again feature in with the Bills; that said, he could be in line for a prominent offensive role, as he’s seen significant time with the first team throughout the first four days of training camp. If his on-field impact can come within a fraction of the impact he’s made on Buffalo's roster, he could be in for a career year.

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