Muhsin Muhammad ] Date of birth May 5, 1973 Place of birth Lansing, MI Date of death {{{DateOfDeath}}} Position(s) WR College Michigan State NFL Draft 1996 / Round 2 AFL Draft ] / Round {{{AFLDraftedRound}}} Pro Bowls 2 Awards Honors Retired #s Records Carolina Panthers Career Receptions (578) Statistics Pro Football Reference Statistics NFL.com Statistics CBS.com Statistics DatabaseFootball Statistics ESPN Statistics Sports Illustrated Team(s) 1996-2004 2005-Present Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Pro Football Hall of Fame, ] Muhsin Muhammad, II (Turkish, Muhşın Muhammad, II) (born May 5, 1973, in Lansing, Michigan) is an American Football player who currently plays wide receiver for the Chicago Bears of the NFL. Muhammad was a star player at Waverly High School in Lansing before playing college football at Michigan State University. He was drafted in 1996 by the Carolina Panthers. After 2 mediocre seasons, he broke out. He averaged around a thousand yards per season from 1998-2000, had an off year in 2001, then returned to elite form. He played in Super Bowl XXXVIII in January 2004, losing to the New England Patriots. In the 2004-05 season, he exploded to lead the NFL with 1,405 receiving yards. He notched a career high and league-leading 16 receiving touchdowns as well, earning a Pro Bowl selection. In February 2005, he could not come to terms on a contract extension with the Panthers, and was released. Hours after his release from the Panthers, the 32-year old agreed to a six-year deal with the Chicago Bears. By that time, he held all of the Panthers' receiving records, including catches (578), receiving yards (7,751), 100-yard games (26), the top three single-game yardage totals (192, 189, 179) and was tied with Wesley Walls at 44 touchdown receptions.
Muhammad had some negative experiences in Carolina, however. During his time there, he was the target of a racial slur from Kerry Collins, testified at murder hearings for Rae Carruth and Deidra Lane (wife of Fred Lane), was arrested in 2003 on misdemeanor drug and weapon offenses, and was criticized for dropping balls throughout his tenure as a Panther. He was also admonished for giving up on a route that led to a game-deciding interception against the Atlanta Falcons in 2003.
Muhummad's tenure with the Bears has been eventful. He is the Bears No.1 receiver and their main receiving threat. He was seen on ESPN complaining to Kyle Orton about not throwing the ball to him at the end of the first half in an important regular season game against the Falcons. This is widely known to be the cause of Lovie Smith benching Orton in favor of Rex Grossman
Muhammad practices both Islam and Christianity, as a result of the different persuasions of his parents.
