Mack Hollins was just four catches shy of a $400,000 bonus in 2025. The Patriots just gave him the money anyways.
New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins was an integral addition to the roster this past season. His on-field performance was impactful, and when he had a stint on IR in the back half of the season and into part of the playoffs, his absence was indeed felt.
Hollins fell short this season of what he needed to secure a massive incentive in his contract. The always eccentrically dressed wide receiver fell four catches shy of a $400,000 bonus incentive, mainly due to him being injured for part of the season.
So what did the Patriots do about it? Rather than thinking, "Oh well, sorry, man," the organization paid him that bonus anyway.
The Patriots gifted Hollins $400,000 in the form of a signing bonus to his 2026 compensation. Hollins is now set to earn a base of $4.3M next season, with another $1M available via incentives. Pretty generous move by the Patriots for one of their star players.
The 32-year-old wide receiver racked up 46 catches (he needed 50 for the bonus) for 550 yards and two touchdowns. 2025 was the second most productive year of his entire career, stats-wise. When it comes to rankings, Hollins was ranked third in catches, fourth in receiving yards, and tied for sixth in touchdowns among Patriots pass-catchers.
Upon his return in the playoffs, Hollins caught a few passes in the AFC Championship game that gave the offense some breathing room in what was a very lackluster overall performance, despite getting the job done.
He would also score a touchdown in Super Bowl LX on a play that, for a brief moment, had Patriots fans wondering if there could still be a second-half rally. Drake Maye found Hollins in the end zone for a 35-yard touchdown catch to make the score 19-7.
Hollins finished the game with four receptions for 78 yards.
The generous offer from the Patriots to hand over the bonus to Hollins, regardless of falling short due to injury, is just another testament to why Robert Kraft and the organization he has built are known as one of the more respectful towards players in the NFL.
It's a move that now has beat reporters and analysts wondering what they'll do as the Patriots progress into free agency and player movement in the coming weeks.
2026 will mark Hollins' final year of his $8.4 million contract with the team.