Sadly, the life of legendary football player and wrestler Steve McMichael has come to an end. After bravely fighting against ALS for a solid four years, unfortunately, the incurable disease claimed another life. Even though McMichael may not physically be on Earth anymore, his memory will never be forgotten. He will be remembered by droves of loyal fans, loving family, and all of the lives he touched while being a prominent member of the Bears.
Who Was Steve McMichael?
Steve McMichael was born in Texas in 1957, and it was easy for everyone to know that he was a fighter. He became part of his college’s football team at the University of Texas at Austin. During his time with the Longhorns, he impressed many by graduating from the University, being the leader in tackles and sacks (369 and 30, respectively). McMichael was picked up by the New England Patriots in 1970, but was dropped after only a season.
Steve would spend the following two years as a free agent for Chicago before being officially signed as a starter by the Bears in 1983. Steve McMichael was a beast on the field and extremely committed to his craft. The skilled interior pass rusher played 191 consecutive games, achieving a Bears team record! He also currently holds the title of second place in his team’s history for sacks, 92.5, superceded only by his former teammate Richard Dent’s 124.5.
McMichael’s 13/15 years with the Bears would prove to be anything but ordinary. He would be a part of the team that won the franchise’s one and only Super Bowl victory thus far. During the 1985 battle against McMichael’s former team, the Patriots, Steve would go above and beyond by clutching an astounding 44 tackles and 8 sacks! Full of joy at their success, McMichael and his teammate William Perry paraded off the history-making field with their coach held proudly above them.
Life After Football’s End
Football careers are notoriously short, usually due to non-playable injuries and/or age. Steve was not exempt from this fact when his football career came to an end in 1994. But the tenacious athlete didn’t just sit idly following his retirement. Less than a year later, Steve McMichael went on to enter the wrestling world as a wrestler and color commentator. He had many noticeable moments in the industry, including a brief stint in The Four Horsemen, an infamous wrestling group created to protect legendary wrestler Ric Flair’s championship status.
One age started taking its toll on the athlete, Steve would opt for less physical avenues of revenue. He dabbled in radio work and then committed to coaching indoor football for the Chicago Slaughters for six years from 2007 to 2013. The next several years would go by quite uneventfully until Steve McMichael would make a chilling announcement in April 2021: he had ALS. Only two years later, the disease would leave him bedridden. Good news came around that time; however, as the former pro-baller would learn of his eventual induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024.
Being unable to leave his home due to the toll ALS had taken on him, Steve McMichael received his gold jacket and bust at home. He was accompanied by his previous Bears team members and family. Sadly, McMichael would pass away less than a year later, quite shortly after he was admitted to hospice care. In response to the legend’s death, the current chairman, George McCaskey, would release the statement, “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.”
Final Thoughts
Steve ‘Mongo’ McMichael was one of a kind. With an astounding career in football and wrestling, McMichael will be leaving behind a legacy that won’t easily be replicated. It was most unfortunate that he had to go about in such a slow and painful way, but hopefully his soul is now at peace, and people can rest easy knowing their friend/family/idol is finally pain-free.
