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Chicago Bears great Steve 'Mongo' McMichael dies at 67 after battle with ALS
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- Chicago Bears great Steve 'Mongo' McMichael dies at 67 after battle with ALS
Steve McMichael, the Pro Football Hall of Famer and member of the Chicago Bears ' Super Bowl 20 team, has died. He was 67 years old.
"The NFL is heartbroken to hear of the passing of Super Bowl champion and Hall of Famer Steve McMichael after a brave battle with ALS. Our thoughts and condolences are with his family and loved ones," the NFL said in a statement on X .
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In 2021, McMichael was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and in August 2023 was confined to a bed, which is where he learned of his Hall of Fame selection, surrounded by friends and former teammates . He was officially inducted in August 2024 . McMichael earned his spot in the Hall of Fame via the senior committee.
With that selection, McMichael became the sixth member of the famous 1985 Bears team to earn Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement, joining Jimbo Covert, Richard Dent, Dan Hampton, Walter Payton and Mike Singletary.
Payton's son, Jarrett, announced McMichael's death on X and said he was "grateful to have been with (McMichael) in his final moments."
McMichael, a defensive tackle , was selected in the third round of the 1980 NFL draft by the New England Patriots out of the University of Texas. The Patriots released McMichael after just one season and he was picked up by the Bears, with whom McMichael excelled.
Chicago Bears great Steve McMichael, seen here in 1993, has died. He was 67.
After two years as a reserve, he established himself as a star in 1983 in the Bears' second season under coach Mike Ditka. McMichael controlled the interior of the line for the Bears' famed "46 defense" that is considered to be one of the NFL's best defensive units after leading Chicago to an 18-1 record and allowing only 10 points in three playoff wins, including a 46-10 demolition of the Patriots in Super Bowl 20 .
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In all, McMichael played 13 seasons in Chicago, earning two Pro Bowl selections and two first-team All-Pro nods. McMichael ranks second on the Bears' all-time sack list behind Dent.
"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," Pro Football Hall of Fame president and CEO Jim Porter 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."
McMichael, nicknamed "Mongo," enjoyed a post-NFL career that included becoming a pro wrestling fixture.
This story has been updated with new information and video.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Steve 'Mongo' McMichael dies: Bears great battled ALS, was 67
