JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Back in the early days of the Jaguars, Mike Hollis was the Jaguars’ kicker and he was a good one. At one point, he was the most accurate kicker in NFL history. Hollis had some back issues and the Jaguars let him go after the 2001 season. He played a year in Buffalo and a year with the New York Giants before retiring. Now, a month and a half shy of his 50th birthday Hollis is kicking again.
Hollis is trying out for the Jacksonville Sharks of the National Arena League. Since his playing days ended, Hollis has been coaching young kickers so he’s been around the game. He’s also kept in decent shape. And in the arena game, kickers aren’t asked to make many tackles. So who knows, maybe Hollis can conjure up the past and make it happen for the Sharks.
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“I like to challenge myself,” Hollis said. “Being accountable for a team and helping a team win games is one of the best feelings in the world.”
At his age, can Hollis really compete with players young enough to be his children?
“It’s a new day and age. Look at Tom Brady. Certain positions like kicker and quarterback aren’t taking the wear and tear that some of these positions are. Anything is possible. He’s here to compete. We have a couple of kickers coming through. We’re going to evaluate (them) and see what’s best for the team.”
Hollis earned a Pro Bowl nod in 1997 after leading the league in scoring. That was part of a Jaguars team that won the AFC Central for the first time. He’s going to take the same approach with the Sharks as he did with the Jaguars more than two decades ago.
“I’m always competing against myself,” Hollis said. “If I’m good enough to make these kicks and compete at this level, then great. Nothing changes for me. It’s the same mindset, same energy, same everything.”