Linebacker Nick Morrow and wide receiver Mack Hollins spoke about their excitement to come to Buffalo after officially signing contracts with the Bills on Thursday afternoon.
Morrow, entering his seventh NFL season, was signed by the then-Oakland Raiders in 2017 as an undrafted free agent, becoming the first player from Greenville University to sign an NFL contract.
The linebacker said the winning culture Buffalo has developed under head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane was a key reason behind his decision to move to Western New York.
"I think the biggest thing is just the winning culture, being a part of something bigger than yourself," Morrow said to the media via Zoom after signing.
Morrow spent the first four years of his career with the Raiders, starting 29 games and tallying two interceptions, two forced fumbles and four sacks. After a season in Chicago, Morrow worked his way off the practice squad to the Philadelphia Eagle's active roster, wearing the green dot on defense at times during the season.
The 28-year-old tied a season-high in sacks in Philadelphia with three across his 12 starts and 15 total appearances. He said that his experience in a variety of defensive schemes will continue to help him as he prepares to develop a role on the Bills roster.
"I've played in many different defensive philosophies, whether it's mash, zone, 4-3, 3-4 and so, I've played all the positions and I'm willing to work," Morrow said.
Hollins, also entering his seventh season in the NFL, was drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, appearing in Super Bowl LII.
The UNC Tarheel alum said that the fanbase in Buffalo was one of the primary reasons behind his decision to sign with the Bills, citing that even before he arrived at the facility to put pen to paper, a Bills fan had asked him for a photo.
"I'm really excited to have a fanbase that is so excited about the team," Hollins said. "Even today, somebody stopped me to get a picture just because they saw I was with somebody from the Bills … That will never bother me, that dedication is never a problem to me."
Hollins also said that he had noticed how veterans across the league, including his former UNC teammate Mitch Trubisky, have raved about their time in Buffalo.
"When guys come back to a team after leaving, that's usually a sign that something's going on that keeps bringing them back, culture-wise or environment, whatever it may be," Hollins said. "So there has to be something great about this Buffalo team that keeps bringing guys back even though they've left and gone on to other teams."
Hollins said that Trubisky, who returned to the Bills earlier in the offseason, had high praise for the City of Good Neighbors.
"He was like, 'Dude, you'll love it. Like the guys are always together, the city is awesome, the city loves all the players,'" Hollins said.
The UNC Tarheel alum spent two full seasons in Miami after a midseason trade in 2019 before having a career season in Las Vegas in 2022. Making 16 starts, Hollins tallied 690 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. Hollins spent the 2023 season in Atlanta, where he totaled 251 yards.
Hollins said he is looking forward to working alongside Bills QB Josh Allen, who he called one of the best at his position.
"To be able to play at that level for many years in a row is extremely impressive," Hollins said. "So, I'm excited to be able to work with him and to see how he plays in person because to see things live is another thing. … Hopefully I can help him to join in that success and take it to another level."
Hollins has been a part of special teams in all six seasons of play, posting a career-high 11 tackles in 2021. He said that his willingness to do whatever he is asked has helped him sustain his career.
"I know I've transitioned into more of a receiver role, but special teams is what got me to this point going into year eight," Hollins said. "So there will never come a time where I'm too big to play special teams, especially for a unit that's at this point, a top five unit almost every year since I've been in the league at this point."
