'Hungry' LB Justin Hollins Not Ready for Rams to Stop Eating

Los Angeles Rams linebacker Justin Hollins has been eating well lately - however you want to look at it. 

After winning his first Super Bowl ring with LA in February, the third-year pass-rusher joined the Rams for a Championship Trophy Tour of Mexico City in June. Safe to say the Arlington, Texas native got his fair share of the tasty cuisine across the border from his home state. 

“That was amazing. Mexico, we got a great fan base out there," Hollins said. "The fans were amazing. Mexico City was incredible. Great food by the way ... great food. I was never hungry. I was never hungry out there. It was amazing.”

But after getting a taste of playing in front of real playoff crowds this past postseason, Hollins' hunger for more championship success isn't on track to ever be satisfied. He says the team shares this same drive as the Rams prepare for an important start to training camp Sunday. 

"It just shows the kind of players we have on the team, the kind of guys we have," Hollins said. "To show that they're still hungry, even if we just won. Everybody wants another one. It's football heaven. You want to stay in football heaven.”

Hollins' former teammate and new Buffalo Bill, Von Miller, made this the team's motivational motto headed into Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals. With Miller now gone, Hollins, 26, could be next in line to produce on an elite defensive front, something he can prove to his former teammate when the Rams face Miller and the Bills in Week 1. 

“I don't feel like we need to fill anybody's shoes," he said. "It's just a next-man-up type of thing. Happy for him and what he's accomplished, what he did for us and you know the great contract he got with the Buffalo Bills, but we play them Week 1, so we just got to put that behind us.”

Hollins, a 2019 fifth-round pick out of Oregon, had 24 tackles (including playoffs), two sacks, and one forced fumble last season. A pectoral injury in Week 3 kept him out for nearly three months, as he only appeared in nine games. But in every single one of those contests, the Rams won. 

From a record standpoint, LA's success goes hand-in-hand with his presence on the field. But even with all of last season's high, Hollins' mental maturity is keeping him grounded as he looks to focus on what he can control in the future.

“Clean slate. We just came off a big Super Bowl win," Hollins said. "Obviously, that weighs a lot and that's very exciting, but you got to put that behind you, put that in the past and really focus on what's ahead and trying to win another one. So I feel like my focus and just sharpening up on everything really, mentally. It lets you approach everything like you did before. Of course, we did win, but we just got to come into every game and act just like we did last year.”

As talented as he is, Hollins finds himself on a defensive line where he's slightly overlooked due to the pass-rushing prowess of some of his teammates.

For starters, superstar Aaron Donald enters the season as arguably the best defensive player in the league. Interior linemen like A'Shawn Robinson and Greg Gaines are aiming for another productive year, while Leonard Floyd and second-year backer Ernest Jones enter the fall as two of the team's most important players. 

Already an elite defense, adding All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner simply tops everything off. 

To little surprise, Hollins isn't worried about his personal recognition alongside popular teammates that might gain more media attention. Constantly talking about "we," most of his goals this season are centered around the group's success as a whole.

“I feel like throughout camp, you kind of fine tune the pass rush," he said. "Everybody comes in a little bit fresher. Everybody’s got their new moves and their new way of approaching things. But by the time this is all over, we’ll be a well-oiled machine. Everybody rushes a little different, so you just got to get those reps with different guys. Everybody's great between Greg, AD, A'Shawn (Robinson), everybody man.”

As he continues to prepare for a season of full health and playing time, Hollins hopes that fans don't forget about the defending Super Bowl champs in a season where several contending teams are coming for the crown. 

"I just feel like people remember the last thing that happened," Hollins said. "I don't think they forgot, they would just focus on like big thing, playoffs, Super Bowl, things like that. Hopefully, they didn't forget about us.”

You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7

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