Panthers No. 87: 3 reasons why Muhsin Muhammad was elite

2. Winning mentality

The Carolina Panthers have had the privilege of having some tremendous leaders throughout their short history. Muhsin Muhammad can consider himself one of these. And this was down in no small part to the winning mentality he brought on every snap.

This is not something one usually sees from those who ply their trade at the wide receiver spot. They are notoriously difficult to manage and can be left pointing the finger at others rather than examining their own faults.

It is something that teams across the NFL have come to accept. But Muhammad was not of this ilk. He was a keen learner during his first few seasons in the pros. And he stepped into the role of leader once he had enough experience under his belt.

Muhammad was a rare commodity that the Panthers struck gold in the second round. The class of 1996 already has five Pro Football Hall of Famers. And although the wideout might not have done enough during his career to earn this particular accolade. It should not detract from what a monumental impact he had in Carolina.

One only has to look at how long Muhammad ended up playing to see what sort of competitive fire burned inside him. He played 14 seasons and gave a good account of himself from his rookie campaign until the moment he played his final snap.

This sort of mentality is something that really translated to his teammates, who held Muhammad in the highest regard.