Steve “Mongo” McMichael, Chicago Bears Legend, Passes Away
The NFL announced on Wednesday the passing of Steve “Mongo” McMichael, a prominent member of the dominant “46” defense of the Chicago Bears from the 1980s. McMichael, who was second in franchise history with 92.5 sacks, died at the age of 67. A McMichael was diagnosed with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2021. 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 having participated in 191 consecutive games, a record for the team. In total, McMichael played in 207 games from 1981 to 1994.On August 3, 2024, about 344 miles 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 famed 1985 Bears defense, McMichael’s bust at the Hall of Fame was unveiled at his home in Homer Glen, Illinois. McMichael lay in his bed wearing his gold jacket as his sister, Kathy, delivered the defensive tackle’s induction speech in a prerecorded video. Among those present to celebrate McMichael’s induction were former teammates Richard Dent, Ron Rivera, Mike Singletary, Jimbo Covert, Gary Fencik, Jim Osborne, and Marcus Keyes.“It’s a cruel irony that the Bears’ ‘Ironman’ succumbed to this dreaded disease,” said Bears chairman George H. McCaskey in a statement. “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
“Steve, we are here with all your world champion brothers,” Dent said. “In Canton, we have 378 brothers who are looking for you. You’re on a team you can never be cut from, you can never be released from. When you die on this team, you’ll still be on it.”
Richard Dent
Selected by the senior committee of the Hall of Fame, McMichael had previously been nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014 and 2015, and he passed the first cut of candidates twice before falling short of selection. Misty, McMichael’s wife, 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.“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
“We will never know a stronger fighter. He was also the sweetest guy I’ve ever met,” said Betsy Shepherd, McMichael’s longtime publicist. “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 you immeasurably.”
Betsy Shepherd
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 had ever 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’ bitter rival was to “steal their money and beat them 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.“Everyone who played with or against Steve shares the same opinion: nobody fought more or harder from the start to the whistle than Steve the player. … And the love that his teammates showed him throughout this difficult journey says it all about Steve the man.”“Steve McMichael told everyone that he would fight ALS with the same tenacity he showed for 15 seasons in the National Football League. And he did,” said Jim Porter, president and CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Jim Porter
