Steve McMichael, a star defensive tackle on the Chicago Bears’ famed 1985 Super Bowl championship team whose larger-than-life personality made him a fixture in the Windy City for decades and a natural for professional wrestling, has died following a battle with ALS. He was 67.
McMichael died Wednesday afternoon, his publicist, Betsy Shepherd, told The Associated Press.
An All-Pro in 1985 and 1987, McMichael was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024. He played in a franchise-record 191 consecutive games from 1981 to 1993 and ranks second to Richard Dent on the Bears’ career sacks list with 92 1/2. His final NFL season was with Green Bay in 1994.
Whether he was terrorizing opponents or discussing the Bears on sports talk radio, the man known as “Ming The Merciless” and “Mongo” after the character in “Blazing Saddles” who knocked out a horse remained a prominent presence in Chicago long after his playing days ended. He also spent five years in professional wrestling in the late 1990s.
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McMichael’s brash personality and willingness to say whatever was on his mind made him a natural for the squared circle. He began working for World Championship Wrestling at the height of the “Monday Night Wars” with the World Wrestling Federation, starting as a color commentator and later joining Ric Flair in the “Four Horsemen” group.
McMichael revealed in April 2021 that he was battling ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, which affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control.
“I promise you, this epitaph that I’m going to have on me now? This ain’t ever how I envisioned this was going to end,” McMichael told the Chicago Tribune.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame released a statement regarding the passing of the Hall of Famer:
Pro Football Hall of Famer STEVE McMICHAEL passed away at the age of 67 on Wednesday evening, April 23, more than four years after his diagnosis with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
McMichael had entered hospice care earlier in the day, his longtime friend Jarrett Payton told the media. McMichael spent much of the past four years bedridden at his home in suburban Chicago, with his wife, Misty; daughter, Macy; relatives and other medical caretakers; and several former Chicago Bears teammates constantly at his side.
The following is a statement from Hall of Fame President Jim Porter:
“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. 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.”
The New England Patriots selected Steve McMichael, a consensus All-America selection at the University of Texas, in the third round (73rd overall) of the 1980 NFL Draft. After playing in only six regular-season games, the Patriots released him before the start of the 1981 season.
The following season, after an injury to one of their starting defensive linemen, the Chicago Bears brought in McMichael to back up Hall of Famer Alan Page during his final season. Unbeknownst to them at the time, the Bears had found the quintessential ironman to bolster their defensive unit.
At 6-feet-2 and 270 pounds, McMichael played in a franchise-record 191 consecutive games for the Bears, becoming a starter at defensive tackle during the 1983 campaign. As a full-time starter, McMichael went on to earn two Pro Bowl nods (1986 and 1987) and three consecutive first-team All-Pro selections (1985-87).
“Mongo” became a vital part in the Chicago Bears’ Super Bowl run, as the club looked to end their championship drought of nearly 20 years. From 1982 until 1991, the Bears allowed the fewest points, rushing yards and total yards in the NFL, while recording the most sacks.
McMichael played a role in the Bears winning six division championships and Super Bowl XX in 1986 against his former club, the New England Patriots. In his lone Super Bowl, McMichael started at left defensive tackle and recorded a sack.McMichael helped the Bears set numerous defensive team records in 1984, including fewest yards allowed (3,863) and most sacks (72; McMichael had 10). The Bears’ 72 total sacks still stand as an NFL record. McMichael’s 92.5 career sacks rank second in Bears history, behind Hall of Famer Richard Dent. Twice, in 1988 (11.5) and 1992 (10.5), McMichael led the team in the category, and he totaled seven seasons with eight or more.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame flag outside the museum will be flown at half-staff in his honor.
