Raiders’ Mack Hollins makes impact with personality, production, and post-practice ‘Mack Mile’

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Mack Hollins is the definition of a training camp standout. At 6′4′' 221 pounds, Hollins is the tallest and biggest wide receiver on the Raiders roster, but what has separated him from the rest of the Silver and Black pack this summer, has been his work ethic and the introduction of the legendary ‘Mack Mile.’

Originally drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, Hollins became a Super Bowl Champion just two years into his NFL career. The 28-year old spent the last two and a half seasons in Miami before signing this summer in Las Vegas.

“Mack Hollins, man, that’s an amazing dude, man,” smiled Raiders running back, Josh Jacobs. “He’s funny.”

“If you were to ask who the weirdest guy in the locker room is, they’d probably put Mack in the top five,” explained Hollins. “I think it because I don’t really care what people have to think about me, like I’m not trying to live forever. I’m here for a short amount of time and if you don’t like me then so be it. But I try to enjoy the time we have here because I know that a football career is even shorter than any other career. So, if I’m going to be here and be with y’all for 12 hours a day, I better enjoy being around y’all or y’all are going to enjoy being around me.”

“He’s one of them guys that I feel like everybody get along with,” explained Jacobs. “Come in every day with a smile on his face, doesn’t complain or anything like that.”

“I mean, I don’t want to give that guy too much credit, but I’ve known him a couple of months, and he’s probably one of the top five funniest guys I’ve ever met in my life,” laughed Raiders tight end Darren Waller.

The task of transitioning to a new team has been seamless for Hollins, but it’s not just his personality winning over the locker room, it’s been his play and performance at practice that has proven why he was named a special teams captain for the Miami Dolphins last season.

“First of all, another offseason award winner for us,” explained Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels. “Big-time leader. Very unselfish. He’s contributed on offense where he has been at, and he’s contributed in the kicking game and so to me that’s an underrated and really not talked about enough part of our game. It’s a third of our game and this guy is out there on almost every play. Tackles, covers, can block for people on the return game and so he does a lot of those things. And the one thing about that is if you’re a core contributor in the kicking game, you are going to be at the game. He’s smart enough to move all over our offense, which is very helpful to him. He’s gotten off to a good start.”

“He’s smart too, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a guy pick up an offense so fast honestly,” said Jacobs.

“You don’t have to be a big name to understand that people put in big work a lot of the time,” explained Raiders tight end Foster Moreau. “And for me, Mack Hollins is a perfect example of that. Leading by example, taking guys after every run, every lift, every workout and we’re running miles with Mack Hollins.

Hollins is known to be a workout warrior and his claim to fame so far this summer has been the introduction of the ‘Mack Mile.’

“It’s probably way further than it actually is,” explained Hollins. “I always run a mile after every workout, then some of the guys started seeing it and they started doing it. It’s two-and-a-half laps, not counting end zones. From bottom left corner goal line around, that’s one lap. Around again, that’s two laps, 150 yards—100 then 50 across, then 50 more yards and then turn around. It’s about 1,600 yards.”

“It’s definitely a little bit more than a mile which tends to piss some people off, but we get it and we run it and we shut up and just do it,” smiled Moreau.

And that’s the point of the Mack Mile, it’s not about the distance, but the difference it can make when the games matter most.

“At this level, every player can run a mile, no problem, after every workout,” said Hollins. “There’s no time of it. There’s no speed on it. You just have to do it, so it’s just mental.... When you’re in the third, fourth quarter and I’m hurting, I can still do a mile and I can still get a couple more plays. That’s the mindset behind it.”

“If I can stay at 100 for longer than the next guy, even if he’s stronger than me in the first quarter, by the end of the game he’s dropped to such a level because his conditioning is not good. Conditioning is huge for me because I know I may play all four special teams and then also have a role as a receiver. Me saying I’m tired or hurting, that really doesn’t fly because I’m expected to be at my top no matter where I’m placed, and I know I have to be prepared for that.”

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