Steve “Mongo” McMichael Passes Away: NFL Legend and Hall of Famer

Steve “Mongo” McMichael, Chicago Bears Legend, Passes Away

The NFL announced on Wednesday the passing of Steve “Mongo” McMichael, a prominent member of the legendary “46” defense of the Chicago Bears in the 1980s. McMichael, who ranked second in franchise history with 92.5 sacks, died at the age of 67. In 2021, McMichael was diagnosed with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Although he played one season for the New England Patriots and another with the Green Bay Packers, it was during his 13 seasons with the Bears where he left his mark, including a team record of 191 consecutive games. In total, McMichael participated in 207 games between 1981 and 1994.

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The defensive tackle won a Super Bowl (1985) and was twice selected to the All-Pro first team and the Pro Bowl. He had at least seven sacks in seven consecutive seasons (1983 to 1989), surpassed only by Richard Dent, who achieved 10 straight years.

“It’s a cruel irony that the ‘Ironman’ of the Bears succumbed to this dreaded disease,” said Bears chairman George H. McCaskey. “However, Steve showed us throughout his fight that his true strength was internal, and he demonstrated daily his class, his dignity, and his humanity. He is now at peace. We offer our condolences to Misty, Macy, the rest of Steve’s family, his teammates, and countless friends and fans of a great Bear.”

George H. McCaskey, Chairman of the Bears

On August 3, 2024, about 344 kilometers west of Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, Ohio, McMichael was officially enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Surrounded by his wife, daughter, and members of the famous 1985 Bears defense, McMichael’s bust in the Hall of Fame was unveiled at his home in Homer Glen, Illinois. McMichael lay in his bed wearing his gold jacket while his sister, Kathy, delivered the defensive tackle’s induction speech in a prerecorded video. Among those present to celebrate McMichael’s induction were his former teammates Richard Dent, Ron Rivera, Mike Singletary, Jimbo Covert, Gary Fencik, Jim Osborne, and Marcus Keyes.

“Steve, we are here with all your world champion brothers,” Dent said. “In Canton, we have 378 brothers who are looking for you. You are on a team that you can never be cut from, you can never be released. When you die on this team, you will still be on it.”

Richard Dent

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A live video from McMichael’s bed was broadcast to the crowd in Canton while ESPN’s Chris Berman, who was the Hall of Fame’s master of ceremonies, relayed the message he received from the defensive tackle about his impact on his career.

“I don’t want ALS to be my legacy,” the message said. “What I did on the field, that is my legacy. Pushing myself to the limit… beyond what anyone else could.”

Steve McMichael

Selected by the senior committee of the Hall of Fame, McMichael had previously been nominated to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014 and 2015, and he surpassed the first cut of candidates twice before falling short of selection. McMichael’s wife, Misty, actively campaigned for her husband’s consecration, as ALS took away his ability to move or speak, leaving him bedridden during the last years of his life. McMichael had signed a “do not resuscitate” form in 2023 before his condition began to worsen. Upon learning that he was one of the senior semifinalists last August, McMichael informed his wife that he wanted to break the DNR while awaiting news about his selection.

“We will never know a stronger fighter. He was also the sweetest guy I’ve ever known,” said McMichael’s longtime publicist, Betsy Shepherd. “I am proud of everything we achieved together, especially the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It was the last thing he could tell me before he lost the ability to speak. I asked him what else I could do for him and he whispered: ‘Hall of Fame’. Thanks to the fans, we did it. He loved them endlessly.”

Betsy Shepherd

McMichael had eight sacks during the 1985 regular season, and added another in the Super Bowl XX victory over the Patriots, and was a first-team All-Pro selection while starting every game that season. He controlled the interior of the line for a defense that ranked No. 1 that season in fewest points allowed, fewest yards allowed and takeaways, in addition to giving up only 10 points in three playoff victories, and many consider it the best in history after leading Chicago to an 18-1 record. McMichael, who finished with 95 sacks in his career, also had 847 tackles in his career, 13 forced fumbles, 17 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions, and 3 safeties recorded in 213 career games. His 92.5 sacks with the Bears place him behind Dent in team history.

Although McMichael was often overshadowed by Hall of Fame members Singletary and Dent, he was fundamental to the Bears’ success. Coach Mike Ditka said McMichael was the toughest player he coached.

McMichael ended his career with the Packers in 1994, but he liked to tell people in his retirement that the only reason he signed with the Bears’ archrival was to “steal their money and kick their asses again.” McMichael was selected by the Patriots in the third round of the 1980 NFL draft, but he didn’t last long in New England, appearing in six games as a rookie before being released before his second season. He played college football at Texas, where the Houston native was a unanimous first-team All-America selection for a notoriously stingy defense and left as the Longhorns’ all-time leader in tackles (369) and sacks (30). He received football recruiting letters from about 75 schools. Bear Bryant wanted to use him as a tight end at Alabama, and Darrell Royal recruited him to Texas as a defensive end. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

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After soccer, “Mongo” had a professional resurgence as a professional wrestler with World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he won the United States Heavyweight Championship as a member of the famous group “Four Horsemen” led by Ric Flair. In April 1995, he was in Lawrence Taylor’s corner at WrestleMania. Later that year, he started with WCW as a commentator. He began his in-ring career in 1996, feuding with Flair over then-wife Debra McMichael, who was a wrestling valet. He stayed with the company until 1999. Whether terrorizing his opponents or arguing about the Bears on sports radio, the man known as “Ming The Merciless” and “Mongo”, after the “Blazing Saddles” character who knocked out a horse, remained a prominent presence in Chicago long after his playing days. Born in Houston, McMichael’s parents divorced when he was about 2 years old. His mother, Betty, married an oil company executive named E.V. McMichael, and young McMichael considered him his father and adopted his surname. The family moved to Freer, Texas, and McMichael went on to be a football, basketball, baseball, track and field, tennis, and golf player as a senior. As a high school catcher, he preferred baseball. The Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals showed interest, but his parents wanted him to go to college. McMichael and Debra divorced in 1998. He married Misty Davenport in 2001, and their daughter, Macy, was born in 2008.

“Steve McMichael told everyone that he would fight ALS with the same tenacity he showed for 15 seasons in the National Football League. And that’s exactly what he did,” said Pro Football Hall of Fame President and CEO Jim Porter in a statement.

Jim Porter, President and CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame

“Everyone who played with or against Steve shares the same opinion: nobody fought longer or harder from the snap to the whistle than Steve, the player. … And the love his teammates showed him throughout this difficult journey says it all about Steve, the man.”