Hollins, who is also entering his seventh season in the NFL, was drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, who are appearing in Super Bowl LII.
The UNC Tarheel graduate said the fan base in Buffalo was one of the main reasons behind his decision to sign with the Bills, noting that even before he arrived at the facility to put pen to paper, a Bills fan asked him for a picture.
“I'm really excited to have a fan base that is so passionate about the team,” Hollins said. “Even today, someone stopped me to take a picture just because they saw I was with someone from the Bells… That would never bother me, and that dedication is never a problem for me.”
Hollins also said he noticed how veterans around the league, including former UNC teammate Mitch Trubisky, raved about their time in Buffalo.
“When players come back to a team after they leave, it's usually a sign that there's something going on that keeps bringing them back, whether in terms of culture or environment, whatever it may be,” Hollins said. “So there has to be something great about a Buffalo team that keeps bringing back players even though they leave and go to other teams.”
Trubisky, who returned to the Bills earlier in the offseason, had high praise for the City of Good Neighbors, Hollins said.
“He was like, ‘Dude, you’re going to love this.’ And the players are always together, the city is great, the city loves all the players,” Hollins said.
The UNC Tarheel alum spent two full seasons in Miami following a midseason trade in 2019 before having a career season in Las Vegas in 2022. In 16 starts, Hollins recorded 690 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Hollins spent the 2023 season in Atlanta, where he totaled 251 receiving yards.
