Muhsin Muhammad
NFL Wide Receiver

• NFL Wide Receiver
• 2x Pro Bowl selection (1999, 2004)
• 1x All-Pro selection (2004)
• 29th player in NFL history to reach 10,000 career receiving yards
• One of just 5 active NFL receivers with at least 50 receptions in each of the last 8 seasons

Outside of faith, I believe that family is the most important thing in life. My family is not only the source of my power and strength, but is the reason I work as hard as I do and have accomplished what I have throughout my career. Most people assume that with my Arabic name that I am Muslim, when in fact I am Christian. Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. He is the glue in my marriage and my ultimate role model for my life. My favorite verse in the Bible is Romans 6.

My first year in high school I played both linebacker and tight end. That was the first time I had a chance to get the ball in my hands and I loved it. Being a tight end was the first time I played a skilled position and it was a new experience for me. We weren’t really a passing team but they would throw me jump balls and I would use my basketball skills to jump up and catch the football. We went undefeated my freshman year. My sophomore year I was moved from junior varsity to varsity and was strictly a running back. For my junior and senior seasons I played running back and linebacker.

During High School I also ran track. My races were the Open 200, the 4x100 and 4x200 relays, the long jump and the high jump. I was a small forward on the basketball team and I boxed for two years at 156 pounds for the city team where I won a silver gloves championship.

High school was really fun and I was a good enough athlete to get a full scholarship to attend Michigan State University. On my way to college my father gave the best advice I ever received. He told me that I should switch from running back to wide receiver. At the time the NFL was changing from small receivers to big receivers and he told me that is where he saw me prospering. At the time I thought it sounded strange but I took his advice and the rest is history.

I played my college football at Michigan State University as a wide receiver and was drafted in 1996 by the Carolina Panthers. After 2 mediocre seasons, I really broke out. I averaged around a thousand yards per season from 1998-2000, then after an off year in 2001, I really got back on track. I played in Super Bowl XXXVIII in January 2004 then during the 2004-05 season I exploded to lead the NFL with 1,405 receiving yards. That year I notched a career high and league-leading 16 receiving touchdowns as well, earning a Pro Bowl selection.

In February 2005, I left Carolina and agreed to a six-year deal with the Chicago Bears. By that time I 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.

My dedication to my faith and family prompted me to start my own charitable foundation, The M2 Foundation for Kids. This organization is dedicated to enhancing the educational and physical development of children. Through creative and positive interaction with young people the organization's goal is to motivate and help youth improve educational achievement and develop personal competencies for becoming healthy productive adults.

Excerpted from Moose87.com

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Donny Robinson: World Champion and Olympian, BMX Biking

• BMX - Bicycle Motocross Racer
• Bronze Medalist, 2008 Olympics
• 2008 Elite Men Supercross World Cup Champion
• 2007 Elite Men National No. 1 Pro (USA Cycling)
• 2006 National No. 1 Pro Cruiser (ABA)
• 2006 RideBMX Number One Rider Award (NORA)

Many people think that whatever they have been given in life is a direct result of what "they" do and the sacrifices "they" make.  It's true that you never succeed in anything that you don't put 100% effort in, but connections, being in that right place at the right time, and things going your way happens because of the blessings of God.  This of course is the way I feel and may not be how others think, but I attribute my success to Jesus allowing me the roads and ways for me to have success.

Pressures of the day are causing kids to think that there is a new normal to what it means to be young.  Having to drink, having to test out drugs or party or have sex are becoming things that you have to do to be cool or something that is fine to do.  NOT doing those things are way better.  Sure, you may get picked on and razzed because of what you don't do, but believe me, especially looking back on your life, you'll feel that much more proud that you didn't take part in those bad things that others did.  I focused so much on my BMX Racing that I didn't have time to participate in bad activities, nor did I want to because I knew that was not the Christ-like life I wanted to live.  Even though I haven't lived the perfect life and have made many mistakes, I am certainly proud of most of the choices I have made.  You should always strive to be a good person in the Eyes of the Lord and not in the eyes of your peers.  So go out and kick butt in whatever you do.  Make some new gnar BMX trick or some rad sounding music, but remember you don't have to compromise yourself to do some cool things.

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