Before the kickoff this past weekend in Toronto, Lions receiver Alex Hollins listened to his favourite song, Return of the Mack by Mark Morrison and knew his patience and consistent work ethic would pay off that day.
Hollins hauled in his first touchdown as a Lion and another 63-yard gain that was unfortunately called back for a holding penalty. The overall reaction to Hollins’ debut performance is generally in shock at how the Lions managed to add another hidden gem into the receiver core.
Only a few can say they’ve witnessed Hollins’s dedication toward his CFL debut. Hollins didn’t just appear out of the shadow, he has been obtaining those after-practice reps under the sun all season long.
“I’m just a country boy from Mississippi and I love playing football. I love being with this team, a great group of guys we got here. They’re like family. I love it here,” said Hollins post-practice on Tuesday.
Before he was even known as the happy camper who sings and jokes around with teammate Josh Pearson wherever they go, Hollins went through weeks of tribulation to earn his spot on the team. It’s never easy for an American free agent to crack the CFL roster, but Hollins routinely won his 1- on- 1 battle during and after practice. All he needed to do was be patient for his turn.
Hollins was the next man up following Lucky Whitehead’s foot injury and had been waiting for an entire year for his opportunity to shine on the field. Sometimes, players ended up leaving on their own will, realizing the reality of their getting on the field playing is slim. Hollins said you’ll lose if you’re already defeated.
“It was just about being consistent. It’s a challenge for you mentally. It’s one of those things where you can’t get your feelings involved with the results you get. If you do that then you’ll automatically lose,” he added.
“You just have to take what comes with it and keep working, grinding until the opportunity presents itself and you make the best of it. That’s what I’m going to keep doing from here on out, not just for me but for this team.”
Those extra reps paid off once Hollins knew he was suiting up for his CFL debut. The offence struggled in the majority of the first half until running back James Butler’s 26-yard run that set up the Hollins touchdown catch in traffic.
“All that work translated into the game. I just want to let my teammates know how hard I’m working. I just want to earn their respect and trust. When it was my time to get activated, they didn’t have to second guess anything and believed in me,” Hollins said.
“They were very happy for my opportunity more than I was, so it really just came down to getting the guys to have trust in me.”
It was Hollins’ first touchdown grab since his college playing days at Eastern Illinois University. He spent the last three years with the Minnesota Vikings (2019-2020) and Cleveland Browns (2020-2021), where he was surrounded by some of the best receivers in the game.
“In 2019, I think it was week 17 against the Bears, that was my first game active. That’s when they rest the stars because the Vikings had clinched the playoffs. They had rested Stefan Diggs and Adam Thielen so I started that game. It was a great experience, I learned a lot from those guys,” Hollins said.
“And then I went to Cleveland. Obviously having the opportunity to work with Odell, Jarvis, and a few other guys as well, it was great.”
While the Lions desperately needed a score to keep up with the opposing Argonauts, Hollins solely concentrated on the ball as Toronto’s Royce Metchie and Jamal Peters tried to swap the ball away from Hollins.
He secured the catch and immediately pointed his right arm toward the sky, Hollins said he had to dedicate this touchdown to his mother.
“It felt great to finally touch the paint. I’ve always told myself that after my first professional touchdown, it’s going to be dedicated to my mom. That’s why I pointed at the sky. I usually dance when I score,” he added.
“I had a great relationship with my mother. I’m a momma’s boy. All the women in my life I love and respect them a lot. My mom was my best friend, she was my dawg. That’s why I dedicated the touchdown to her.”
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Despite the loss, Hollins and the team had to turn the page on this week’s game against the defending Grey Cup champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers. With a few key playmakers still rehabbing their injuries, guys like Hollins remain high-spirited to make every rep in practice count.
And he can’t forget to make time to let loose with teammates as the throwback R&B has become a routine with his pal Pearson.
“That’s just what we do when you’re from the south. We’re going to sing when we hear songs we know. No matter who’s around, no matter where we’re at, what we’re doing. We hear a song we love and we’re going to sing. Josh is my dawg. He loves music. I love music,” Hollins added.
Once the music stops, it’s time to get serious. Hollins said the team can’t be satisfied after clinching the playoffs. The earlier to set the tone, the better the team will finish off the season.
“Starting this week against Winnipeg, we must set the tone and not wait until the playoffs to set the tone. Be as a team and keep feeding off that energy,” he added.