Devin McCourty is a card-carrying member of the Mack Hollins fan club.
Speaking with MassLive earlier in the week, the Patriots three-time Super Bowl winner recalled what it was like having to defend the newly signed Patriots wide receiver.
“I love the signing,” McCourty said. “We hated playing against the guy. He’d always tell me he wasn’t good, then he’d walk away, and it was like, ‘Damn, that guy had 4 catches for 60 yards? (Expletive), he had a pretty good day. And three of them were on third down.’
“He’s that type of guy,” the former Patriots went on. “He’s going to block the hell out of you in the run game. He has an attitude that I think will do really good for that team.”
It’s an attitude former Patriot great Julian Edelman brought to the locker room every day. Edelman set an example with his work ethic, and desire to improve.
Hollins, who is 31, and has played with five other teams, has a similar mindset.
“Josh (McDaniels) is going to be hard to play for. You have to be mentally tough,” McCourty said. “(Hollins) comes in at 5 o’clock in the morning, and he does this? And he’s probably like the 60th best receiver in the league, and he works this hard?
“I think they’ve missed that since Edelman left. Maybe not the most vocal leader, but when guys look up … and you see how hard he’s working? For young guys, it blows your mind. Man, I need to do a lot more. They haven’t had that.”
McCourty said he had gotten to know Hollins a bit, because his brother Jason had played with him in Miami.
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