Panthers Sign Son of Former Wide Receiver Muhsin Muhammad, a Franchise Star

Moose Muhammad III is an undrafted free agent who was born in 2001 while his dad was a Panther having the best years of his career.

Moose Muhammad III of the Texas A&M Aggies celebrates a touchdown against the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La., on Nov. 27, 2021. Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

The Carolina Panthers have signed the son of a franchise legend.

The Panthers signed Moose Muhammad III as an undrafted free agent after the 2025 NFL Draft. Reports of the signing emerged after the draft, but the Panthers confirmed it in an article on the team’s website Thursday. Muhammad is the son of Muhsin Muhammad II, who was drafted by the Panthers and spent the first nine seasons and the final two of his career with Carolina.

Moose Muhammad spent five seasons at Texas A&M, amassing 81 total receptions for 1,163 yards and 12 touchdowns. He had his best season as a redshirt sophomore in 2022: He appeared in 10 games, catching 38 passes for 610 yards and four TDs. He also returned punts for the Aggies from 2021-2023. He had a total of 27 returns for 194 yards.

Muhammad was born in Charlotte in 2001. His father, Muhsin Muhammad II, was playing for the Carolina Panthers. The elder Muhammad was drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 1996 draft. He appeared in just nine games as a rookie, catching 25 passes for 407 yards and a touchdown. After an unimpressive sophomore campaign, Muhammad broke out in 1998, starting all 16 games and catching 68 passes for 941 yards and six TDs.

Muhsin Muhammad had his first 1,000+ yard season in 1999. He had 96 receptions for 1,253 yards and eight touchdowns and earned his first Pro Bowl selection. He followed it up with  a career-high and league-leading 102 receptions for 1,183 yards and six scores. He did not record another thousand-yard season again until 2004, but he was a key part of the Panthers’ 2003 Super Bowl run and set the record for longest touchdown pass in a Super Bowl that season—an 85-yard catch in the Panthers’ 32-29 loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVIII.

Muhsin Muhammad had the best year of his career in 2004, catching 93 passes for 1,405 yards and 16 TDs; the last two numbers led the league and were career highs. He was named a first-team All-Pro and selected to his second Pro Bowl. He signed with the Chicago Bears in 2005 and spent three years in Chicago, then returned to the Panthers in 2008, catching 65 passes for 923 yards and five TDs in his return season. He caught 53 passes for 581 yards and a touchdown in 2009. He retired at the end of that season.

Muhsin Muhammad holds several Panthers franchise records. His 16 touchdowns in 2004 are the most in a single season in franchise history. He also has three receiving TDs in two separate games; a record he co-owns with fellow Panthers legend Steve Smith Sr.

For the younger Muhammad, following in his father’s footsteps will be a tough road, but he will have several teammates who started out as undrafted free agents (UDFA), particularly in the wide receiver room. Veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen was a UDFA who was signed by the Minnesota Vikings after a tryout in 2013. Jalen Coker was signed as a UDFA in 2024 out of Holy Cross; he finished the season third on the team in receiving yards behind Thielen and 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette. The Panthers also have long snapper JJ Jansen and safety Demani Richardson on the roster. Running back Rico Dowdle (Dallas Cowboys), defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton (Kansas City Chiefs), and linebacker Christian Rozeboom (Los Angeles Rams), were all signed as UDFAs by their respective teams in 2020.

Moose Muhammad is not the only receiver with a compelling story and Carolina ties on the preseason roster. The Panthers signed veteran wide receiver Hunter Renfrow in free agency. A native of South Carolina, Renfrow played college football at Clemson, winning two national championships with the team. He famously caught the game-winning TD against Alabama in the 2017 national championship game. Renfrow was a fifth-round pick of the then-Oakland Raiders. He became a reliable slot target for the team, catching 269 passes for 2,884 yards and 17 touchdowns in five seasons. He received a Pro Bowl nod in 2021 after catching 103 passes for 1,038 yards and nine TDs. Renfrow was released by the team in 2024 and spent a year away from football. He was diagnosed with autoimmune condition ulcerative colitis, which severely affected his body and kept him from playing.