Mack Hollins is the kind of football player who you absolutely love to have on your team.
But if he’s on the other side? You definitely don’t like him.
The Miami Dolphins know all about this. Hollins spent three seasons earlier in his career with Miami.
Since then, they’ve seen him as an AFC East Division rival in two separate uniforms, first with the Buffalo Bills and now with the New England Patriots.
Something is a bit different about Hollins and the Pats, though. It’s his first time spending multiple seasons with a team since his three years in Miami.
Hollins has wandered the NFL looking for a home, and while he’s had many temporary takers, he hasn’t always stuck around.
In Miami, he stuck. And now with the reigning AFC champion Pats, Hollins has found a similar place to rest his bare feet.
Why Dolphins Let Mack Hollins Leave
The Dolphins were the first place Hollins started to show he might belong in the NFL.
He had caught 16 passes as a fourth-round rookie with the Eagles in 2017, but he didn’t play a regular season game in 2018 and was cut by Philly midway through the 2019 season.
The Dolphins signed him, and Hollins got into four games with Miami at the close of the 2019 season, although he didn’t make a catch.
He made an impression on the building, enough to be brought back for 2020.
During the 2020 season, Hollins had 16 catches for 176 yards and a touchdown. Then in 2021, it was another 14 catches for 223 yards and four TDs.
The Dolphins could count on Hollins to be available each week, and he did a lot of the little things well, but they couldn’t provide him a bigger opportunity in the offense.
Hollins ended up seeking greener pastures and found them with the Las Vegas Raiders, for whom he caught 57 passes for 690 yards and four touchdowns in 2022. He was never going to get that many looks in Miami, and both sides likely knew it at the time.
Mack Hollins’ Path to Patriots
That Raiders season in 2022 was crucial to Hollins’ NFL future.
It got him another contract, this one with the Atlanta Falcons for 2023, but he missed four games that season and caught just 18 passes for 251 yards.
Hollins got a ringing endorsement in 2024, though, when MVP quarterback Josh Allen threw him 31 completions for 378 yards and five TDs and clearly appreciated what he brought to the Buffalo Bills’ offense.
Many Bills fans were bummed that Hollins left for the Pats for 2025 — and he validated that departure by catching 46 passes for 550 yards and two touchdowns while helping the Patriots reach the Super Bowl.
If Hollins had never found believers in Miami, it’s possible he wouldn’t still be in the NFL.
But now, he’s starting his ninth NFL season, and second with the Patriots. It’s been a winding but impressive path for Hollins.
Why Dolphins Let Mack Hollins Leave on Path to Patriots