New England Patriots receiver Mack Hollins sometimes creates just as much buzz with his pregame outfits as he does with his on-field performance. He did so again ahead of Week 11, and it was for a very good cause.
As Hollins made his way into Gillette Stadium for a “Thursday Night Football” showdown against the New York Jets, he made a powerful statement with a custom-made T-shirt. Hollins wore a white shirt that had the suicide prevention hotline number on the front and the words “You are worth it” on the back.
Hollins walked in (barefoot, as he’s been known to do) and said, “It’s OK to not be OK,” while showing off the shirt.
In addition to the number and message, Hollins’ shirt featured words like “silent,” “tired” and “alone” on the front and words like “healed,” “loved” and “valued” on the back.
Mack Hollins Shares Message Behind Pregame Shirt
After the game, Hollins spoke with reporters, explaining why the cause is so important to him. The veteran wideout spoke about wanting to stand up for everyone, but particularly men, during November, which is Men’s Mental Health Month.
“I think that this topic is something that, especially as a male, can often get pushed aside,” Hollins explained to reporters, as seen in a video shared by NBC 10’s Nicole Menner. “It can get brushed under the rug as not for men, not for tough guys, not for, I guess, our gender, sex, whatever you want to call it. But it happens more than people want to admit it happens. Whether it’s older men, younger men, poor men, successful men, rich men, whatever you want to call it. It happens to men too much, and it gets pushed under the rug too much.
“That’s not to say female suicide isn’t a thing as well, but I think, especially this month of November, if I can bring attention to something that’s happening way too much — because even one person committing suicide is too much — then I will gladly stand behind it and try to bring attention to it.”
Hollins’ Message Even More Important for NFL Players
Hollins’ attempt to raise awareness comes at an especially critical time in NFL circles. The Dallas Cowboys are still reeling after the death of second-year player Marshawn Kneeland, who reportedly took his own life on Nov. 6. Kneeland’s apparent suicide came just a few days after he scored a touchdown for the Cowboys, a moment that should have left him feeling on top of the world, illustrating even more that you don’t know what someone might be dealing with.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re successful or you make plays or everybody thinks you’re in the best place in the world. You don’t know what somebody is going through on their own, in between their ears,” Hollins said.
He added: “In hopes that somebody that may have had a rough evening says, ‘Oh, there’s some guy in the NFL that cares.’ Even if I don’t know you, I care, and hopefully that can change any decision you thought of making.”
“Sometimes it’s more than just ‘Well, I checked in on him. You really don’t know what somebody might be going through, especially as men, and he’s in a locker room in a very alpha sport where saying “Hey, I’m not doing all right,’ that can be looked at as you’re weak or ‘I don’t want you as a teammate. I need tough guys as a teammate.’ Unfortunately, that’s kind of been the history of men in general, I guess, but to anybody who’s listening, more men are willing to hear what you have to say than you think. That tough guy persona that we all put on isn’t as real when it actually comes down to it.”
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