Why Mack Hollins Wore Shackles and a Prison Jumpsuit to the Super Bowl

Super Bowl LX came and went on Feb. 8, 2026, but one moment from the sporting event hasn’t vanished from viewers’ minds. That moment was New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins arriving in a very unconventional outfit — a prison jumpsuit, with his wrists and ankles shackled together. Oh, and he was also barefoot.

Now, if you know Hollins, then you know it’s not uncommon for him to forgo shoes, even in the coldest temperatures. But the whole prison jumpsuit thing definitely had plenty of people confused, kind of like when the coordinators of the event brought Lady Gaga out to perform during the halftime show with Bad Bunny. So, why did Hollins arrive at the 2026 Super Bowl in handcuffs? We’ve got answers.

Mack Hollins arrived at the 2026 Super Bowl wearing maroon-colored scrubs meant to resemble a prison getup, with his hands and feet shackled together. He also sported a mask covering his nose and the lower half of his face, giving major Hannibal Lecter vibes. And while he was barefoot, that was honestly the least surprising part, considering he’s been open about not wearing shoes for years now.

So, what was the purpose of the handcuffs? Senior NFL writer Ben Volin of The Boston Globe broke it down on X (formerly Twitter). On the back of Hollins’s prison-like outfit was the phrase “Range 13,” which appears to be a reference to ADX Florence, a federal super-maximum prison in Colorado nicknamed the “Alcatraz of the Rockies.”

The facility is known for housing some of the most dangerous inmates in the U.S. federal system and is notorious for imposing lengthy solitary confinement terms. To put it into perspective, one of the inmates who is currently being held there is Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.

So maybe Hollins’s prison outfit was his way of sending a message to the other team that he’s the baddest m-fer on the field and they should be afraid. The face mask may have been meant to emphasize the point even more, since only the most dangerous inmates would typically be transported in shackles and a face covering.

But the antics didn’t end there. Hollins later showed up on the field for pregame warmups wearing Mike Vrabel’s high school jersey. Vrabel is the head coach of the New England Patriots and, clearly, a pretty big deal considering he led the team to the Super Bowl in his first year.

So, that explains Hollins’s 2026 Super Bowl outfit choice. But what about all the other questionable looks he’s worn to practices and games?

The whole jail outfit at the 2026 Super Bowl wasn’t the first time Hollins arrived dressed up. He also showed up to the Buffalo Bills’ AFC Wild Card playoff game on Jan. 12, 2025, dressed like Fred Flintstone, no shoes, of course. And in the AFC Championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs, he wore a Muppets-style mask along with a crop top.

All of that was before Hollins played for the Patriots, as he joined the team in 2025. But clearly, he’s kept his ritual going.