When Mecole Hardman slipped free on a shallow crosser and cradled Patrick Mahomes’ final throw of the season, the overtime catch didn’t just seal a Super Bowl. It stamped a moment that, for most, would write the next chapter automatically. Players who make plays like that don’t usually leave. But Hardman knew better. Weeks later, the suitcase was packed again, this time for Green Bay, another address on a résumé shaped as much by sudden departures as timely catches. The constant motion hasn’t derailed his readiness. If anything, it has sharpened it. In the quiet of the offseason, away from the trade wires and transaction feeds, Hardman offered a small glimpse at how, stripping the process back to the fundamentals, starting quite literally from the ground up.
Now that the NFL offseason is at its peak, Hardman is out there gearing up for the 2025 season. For a new team. In a new city. The interesting part? He just shared a sneak peek of his philosophy behind his workout. On Friday, Hardman took to his official Instagram handle and shared a workout clip from the gym, showing off his biceps, along with a message for the folks out there. “Y’all got start working out no shoes,” he wrote in his IG story.
Yeah, you read that right. The veteran wideout is working out without shoes in the gym. Ain’t that something crazy? But what’s the reason behind this? Well, if we really want to understand why Hardman is working out without shoes, we need to dive deep into the philosophy behind it. After signing a two-year deal with the New England Patriots, the veteran WR, Mack Collins, attended his first introductory press conference.
And yeah, you guessed that right. Hollins attended the pressers barefoot. No shoes at all. The reason?
It all started when Hollins called a group of trainers from Australia to Philadelphia a few years ago. “It started about six or seven years ago. … Met some trainers called Melbourne Muscular Therapy out in Australia. They showed up—I flew them out from Australia to (Philadelphia)—they showed up, and the way y’all look at me is how I was looking at them,” Hollins said. “They were walking around Philly barefoot and I was like, ‘I might have sent the wrong guys out here.’”
It was the time when Hollins was playing for the Eagles after grappling with persistent groin injuries that nearly led him to retire. But Hollins was really impressed by the philosophy behind trainers that allowed people to walk barefoot. “But that was their philosophy, is being barefoot and kind of getting back to your original ways of movement. That grew into me training barefoot all the time for about two years, three years.”
“And then probably in the last two or three years, I kind of went to the ‘What’s the point?’ One less thing to pack, now the bag’s under 50 pounds. Like, I’m saving money. It really comes all together.” Well, there you go. Working out barefoot doesn’t just help you get back to your original ways of movement. But it also saves you some money.
That means when Mecole Hardman asked us to work out with no shoes… let’s just say, he isn’t just talking the talk. In fact, there’s a pretty solid reason behind that… a couple of reasons, to be precise. After all, the guy just signed a new deal with the Packers.
Mecole Hardman is ready to don green and gold
Coming into the 2025 NFL offseason, the Packers were in dire need to bolster their receiving corp. And why not? The team’s trying to fill the gap after the veteran wide receiver, Devante Adams, left town back in 2022. Sure, they have Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Jayden Reed, but Green Bay is still lacking a vet who brings years of experience for Jordan Love, who is entering the third season as a full-time starting QB.
At first, the rumors linked the Packers to acquire Tee Higgins or DK Metcalf. But nah, the Bengals enhanced Higgins’ contract, and Mike Tomlin snagged Metcalf for the Steelers. That left the entire Packers fanbase scratching their heads as the Packers were yet to make a move to sign a WR. Right after all that went down, Green Bay signed a former All-Pro and Pro Bowl wideout—Mecole Hardman.
NFL, American Football Herren, USA Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers Oct 23, 2022 Santa Clara, California, USA Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes 15 congratulates wide receiver Mecole Hardman 17 after Hardman scored a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers in the second quarter at Levi s Stadium. Santa Clara Levi s Stadium California USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xCaryxEdmondsonx 20221023_lbm_se9_368
Hardman signed a one-year deal with Green Bay last month and will join the team after spending six seasons with the KC (including a brief stint with the Jets). After entering the pros, Hardman has accumulated 178 receptions for 2,302 yards and 16 touchdowns throughout his career. Along the way, he also appeared in 14 postseason games with the Chiefs, starting four times, and recorded 27 receptions for 288 yards (10.7 avg.) with three touchdowns, as well as 105 rushing yards on 13 attempts.
Sure, these numbers would be impressive if they came in a couple of seasons, not in six years. But let’s be real—the guy is experienced, has won three Super Bowls, and surely knows a thing of two about bolstering the team’s O-line. As per Spotrac, Mecole Hardman signed a one-year $1.5 million deal with the Packers. All in all, the WR is ready to start his 2025 campaign with the new team.
The post Patrick Mahomes’ Super Bowl Hero Breaks Stereotypes With Strong Message Weeks After Ditching Chiefs for NFC Team appeared first on EssentiallySports.