Steve McMichael, the former Chicago Bears defensive lineman and Super Bowl champion, has died, the team announced Wednesday. He was 67.
McMichael, nicknamed “Mongo,” was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in April 2021. ALS – amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – is a neurodegenerative condition that affects your nerves and leads to muscle weakness over time, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The 6-foot-2, 270-pound McMichael played 15 seasons in the NFL from 1980-94, including 13 with the Bears, his rookie season with the New England Patriots, and his final season with the Green Bay Packers. He was an integral part of the vaunted 1985 Bears defense, and that season was named First Team All-Pro while leading the Bears to winning Super Bowl XX. McMichael ranks second in Bears history with 92.5 sacks, behind only former teammate Richard Dent (124.5).
“It’s a cruel irony that the Bears’ Ironman succumbed to this dreaded disease,” Bears chairman George H. McCaskey said in a statement. “Yet Steve showed us throughout his struggle that his real strength was internal, and he demonstrated on a daily basis his class, his dignity and his humanity. He is at peace now. We offer our condolences to Misty, Macy, the rest of Steve’s family, his teammates, and countless friends and fans of a great Bear.”
McMichael finished his NFL career with 847 tackles, 95 sacks, 17 fumbles recovered, 13 forced fumbles and two interceptions in 213 games, including 171 starts. He earned two First Team All-Pro honors, two Second Team All-Pro honors and two Pro Bowl selections during his career.
McMichael was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August 2024.
“Steve McMichael told everyone he would fight ALS with the same tenacity he showed for 15 seasons in the National Football League. And he did just that,” Jim Porter, president and CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, said in a statement. “Everyone who played with or against Steve shares the same opinion: No one battled longer or harder from the snap until the whistle than Steve the player. That legendary will to fight allowed him to experience his enshrinement as a member of the Hall’s Class of 2024. And the love his teammates showed him throughout this difficult journey says everything about Steve the man.”
