Moose's comments didn't rile former team

Carolina wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad, who spent the past three seasons with Chicago, was quoted by Sports Illustrated’s Peter King in the preseason as saying Chicago is “where receivers go to die.”

But spokesmen for the Bears, who play the Panthers here Sunday, didn’t sound all that upset on conference calls with Carolinas media today.

“Muhsin did a great job for us while he was here,” Chicago coach Lovie Smith said. “He’s a lifetime friend of mine. I’ve got nothing but good things to say about him. I’m excited that he’s able to come back home and finish up his career with the Panthers.”

Asked if he was surprised by Muhammad’s remarks, Smith said, “I didn’t hear Moose say anything. Because I’ve talked to Moose; I know what we’ve talked about. So I don’t get into a lot of hearsay about what people supposedly said. I’m not really even interested in commenting on it.”

A few minutes earlier, Bears quarterback Kyle Orton responded similarly.

“I didn’t really have a reaction to (Muhammad’s comments),” Orton said. “It didn’t really matter to me either way.”

  Asked to discuss his relationship with Muhammad, Orton said, “Moose was a good player for us when he was here, and I had a wide receiver/quarterback relationship with him.”

Both Smith and Orton said the comments would not act as extra motivation for the Bears, saying that in the NFL, you shouldn’t need extra motivation.

*A number of players sat out today’s practice, including Carolina OT Travelle Wharton, who sprained a knee at San Diego. Also out were QB Matt Moore (shin), TE Dante Rosario (foot) and LB Na’il Diggs (shoulder).

WR Ryne Robinson (knee) and CB Chris Gamble (arm) were limited in their participation in the workout.

— Stan Olson