Buffalo Bills receiver Mack Hollins comes to the ice-cold NFL game barefoot

Buffalo Bills receiver Mack Hollins comes to the ice-cold NFL game barefoot

Football is about inches, but for Mack Hollins it’s about feet.

The Buffalo Bills wide receiver appeared barefoot at his team’s home game against the San Francisco 49ers at Highmark Stadium on December 1st.

The game, which aired on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” was played in snow and freezing temperatures, but that didn’t stop Hollins, who scored a touchdown in his team’s 35-10 win, although it should be noted that he had cleats wore while he played.

But even just walking barefoot affected other extremities – namely the eyebrows. That’s because fans who saw his appearance on “X” had a lot of thoughts about Hollins.

“Mack Hollins: OUT (Frostbite),” one person wrote.

Mack Hollins
Mack Hollins arrives barefoot before the Buffalo Bills’ game against the San Francisco 49ers at Highmark Stadium on December 1, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York.@nfl about X

“How do you walk barefoot in temperatures below 0 degrees? Am I wrong?” someone else commented.

“That guy looks ridiculous,” another disgruntled user remarked.

“At least he wore gloves…” someone else joked.

Hollins, known as a mad scientist for the series of challenges he posts online – including one that involves sitting in a 55-degree pool – says he has been training barefoot with a team from Australia.

Mack Hollins
Mack Hollins warms up without shoes before the Bills’ game against the 49ers.Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

“It was great for me,” he said in a previous interview. “It’s funny because everyone should be barefoot. You don’t see people walking around in mittens. If you don’t use your fingers, you don’t have the dexterity to use them – the same goes for your toes, feet and ankles.

“Many people have ankle or knee problems because they don’t move. They get caught in a shoe and then are lifted up because they have the cushions at the back. It’s like walking on tiptoes all the time. It definitely helped me with my starts and exits. I feel like I can grip the ground better.”

Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets
It’s a habit! Mack Hollins warms up before his team’s game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on October 14, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

However, the decision to go barefoot can be dangerous.

“Frostbite is freezing damage to body tissue caused by prolonged exposure to cold,” says Johns Hopkins Medicine. “It can cause lifelong (permanent) damage to the body. The areas most commonly affected by frostbite are fingers, toes, cheeks, chin, ears and nose.”

The easiest way to get frostbite is to be in a cold environment.

Mack Hollins
Mack Hollins wore shoes while playing that helped him score a touchdown in his team’s 35-10 win.Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

“Frostbite is caused by exposure to cold temperatures, often below 32°F (0°C),” adds Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Hollins is in his eighth season in the NFL despite missing the 2018 season due to injury. He has also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins, Las Vegas Raiders and Atlanta Falcons.

Despite not wearing his shoes before the game (or perhaps because of it), Hollins contributed to the Bills’ victory. His touchdown catch was his only reception of the game. With the win, the Bills clinched the AFC East title for the fifth straight year, meaning the team may play more cold-weather games in the playoffs – the point in the season where Hollins and the Bills have their Have to give your best forward.

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