Smith speaks about life with Keyshawn

Panthers' WR says relationship is fine

He'd been quiet since injuring a hamstring on the first day of training camp, yet when Steve Smith finally spoke Thursday afternoon, he found himself answering the same old question.

Can he and Keyshawn Johnson be happy together?

"We talk every day," Smith said. "We're around each other 15 hours everyday. This is a business. The co-workers have to co-exist, and we have. It's just funny how (the media is) putting so much emphasis on will we come together or not. That's our job, to make plays.

"Just like cornerbacks Ken (Lucas) and (Chris) Gamble, they have a competition to see who can make the most plays or the best plays. That's not slighting each other. That's just pushing each other and vice versa."

Much like Johnson has said repeatedly, Smith said they should be a non-story.

"You've got guys coming here and you want to have fun and you want it to be light and have less anxiety amongst each other," Smith said. "So why press the issue that's not even there? We're here to win the Super Bowl. We're here to win championships."

FOR MOTHER: Mike Minter returned to Panthers practice Thursday, hoping football can help him heal.

Minter, Carolina's veteran safety, had missed more than a week, returning to Lawton, Okla., to be with his mother, who died unexpectedly last Thursday.

Florida Minter was 59.

"It's definitely something you can't prepare for," he said softly. He still doesn't know what happened.

"My mom went in and she couldn't breathe on Monday night (Aug. 7)," he said. "My sister called me on Tuesday and said she talked to the doctor and everything was going to be fine. So we were going to get her and bring her back to Charlotte and let her be around family.

"But then they called me Tuesday night and said I need to get there right now. ... She wasn't conscious when we got there. They have no idea what caused it."

Now he will concentrate on football and dedicate this season to his mom.

OTHER NEWS: Seattle Seahawks tight end Jerramy Stevens injured his left knee Thursday during practice. ... The Dallas Cowboys acquired receiver Charlie Adams from the Denver Broncos on Thursday for an undisclosed draft choice.