Chicago Bears Legend Was 67

NFL legend Steve McMichael has died on the age of 67.

Sports activities anchor Jarrett Payton introduced the information through X on Wednesday, April 23.

“With deep sorrow, I share that Steve McMichael handed at 5:28 PM after a courageous struggle with #ALS, surrounded by family members,” Payton started. “I’m grateful to have been with him in his ultimate moments. Please hold Steve and his household your prayers. 🙏🏽 #Bears.”

The NFL additionally mourned the loss on X, writing that the league “is heartbroken to listen to of the passing of Tremendous Bowl champion and Corridor of Famer Steve McMichael after a courageous battle with ALS. Our ideas and condolences are along with his household and family members.”

McMichael died shortly after his spouse, Misty, shared that he could be coming into hospice as his well being declined, TMZ reported.

McMichael performed within the NFL for 15 seasons, principally with the Chicago Bears. Enjoying with the Bears from 1981 to 1993, he helped the workforce win the Tremendous Bowl on the finish of the 1985 season. In February 2024, McMichael realized he had been chosen for the 2024 Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame class.

McMichael was born in Houston in 1957. His father left the household shortly after his beginning, and his mom, Betty Ruth, married E.V. McMichael. When he was 4, the household moved to the small city of Freer, Texas. He attended Freer Excessive College, the place he was a consummate athlete. He lettered in soccer, basketball, baseball, monitor, tennis and golf. He needed to pursue baseball, however his mother and father needed him to go to school.

He attended the College of Texas at Austin and performed defensive sort out for the Longhorns. Tragedy struck his household when his stepfather was murdered throughout his freshman yr.

“That modified me,” McMichael advised the Chicago Tribune in 2005. “Acquired me pondering, ‘What good is it to be simply an athlete if life can simply come to an finish like that?’ His demise drew me to these neon lights.” 

He partied laborious however he nonetheless performed powerful. He was named All-American his senior yr in 1979, and he was the defensive MVP on the 1979 Hula Bowl. In 2020, he was inducted into the Faculty Soccer Corridor of Fame.

McMichael was drafted by the New England Patriots for the 1980 season, however was reduce on the finish of the yr. Then in 1981, he was signed as a free agent by the Bears, the place he blossomed. He grew to become one of many workforce’s beginning defensive tackles. He was first-team All-Professional in 1985 and 1987, went to the Professional Bowl in 1986 and 1987 and received Tremendous Bowl XX with the workforce.

It was the Bears’ first and solely Tremendous Bowl win, they usually additional boosted their profile with their music “The Tremendous Bowl Shuffle.” Recorded earlier than Tremendous Bowl XX in December of 1985, it went to No. 41 on Billboard‘s Sizzling 100 early in 1986 and earned the workforce a Grammy nomination for finest R&B efficiency by a duo or group with vocals.

McMichael was additionally recognized by the nickname Mongo, given to him by teammate Dan Hampton and brought from the film Blazing Saddles, during which the character Mongo might knock out a horse with one punch. Between week seven of 1981 and week 18 of 1993, he performed 191 video games straight. He performed aggressively and was recognized for his antics on the sphere — he would usually stand on the field-pregame to stare down the opposite workforce —  however he mentioned it was all to match the fervour of the Bears followers.

“You already know what was all the time the worst factor I ever needed to do?” McMichael advised the Chicago Tribune in 2019. “I’d stand on the market after coaching camp and there’d be 1000’s of individuals. They bring about their children, they usually’ve bought them shoved up there [against the ropes] to get autographs. And I’d keep so long as I might. However now I’m going to be late for conferences. Or I’ve to go get dinner and get cleaned up. And I’d have to go away a few of these little children with out an autograph. That was the worst I’ve ever felt about myself. Actually.”

McMichael additionally hosted a post-game present for 2 years within the early Nineteen Nineties. In 2019 for the Bears’ one hundredth anniversary, Bears Centennial Scrapbook authors Don Pierson and Dan Pompei selected the highest 100 Bears of all time, and McMichael was quantity 19. 

McMichael performed one ultimate season in 1994, for the Inexperienced Bay Packers, after which retired. Throughout 15 seasons, he had 95 sacks, 847 tackles and 13 pressured fumbles.

McMichaels additionally had a short profession in skilled wrestling. He took half in WrestleMania XI in 1995 after which was employed by World Championship Wrestling. He joined Ric Aptitude’s wrestling steady The 4 Horsemen alongside his then spouse Debra Marshall. 

Of his determination to hitch wrestling, he advised Wrestling Inc. in 2019, “Soccer was gone in my life. Entertaining folks and the roar of the gang? Man there’s nothing like that.” He left wrestling in 1999.

McMichael additionally made frequent appearances on sports activities radio. In 2004 he launched a e-book, Steve McMichael’s Tales from the Chicago Bears Sideline. From 2007 to 2013, he was head coach of the indoor soccer workforce Chicago Slaughter, and in 2012 he unsuccessfully ran to grow to be mayor Romeoville, Illinois. 

McMichael married Marshall in 1985. They divorced in 1998. He married Misty Davenport in 2001. They welcomed a daughter, Macy, in 2008.

In 2021, McMichael revealed he had been identified with ALS and stopped making public appearances. He advised the Chicago Tribune on the time, “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 finish.”

“I assumed I used to be prepared for something,” he mentioned. “However man. It will sneak up on you want a cheap-shotting Inexperienced Bay Packer.”

McMichael was lastly revealed as an inductee to the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame on Feb. 8, after twenty years of nominations. Misty advised ESPN on the time, “He’s actually alive due to this nomination.” 

“It is superb we have waited a really very long time, and we’re actually, actually glad that he will get to go to Canton,” his sister Kathy McMichael advised Fox 32 Chicago on Feb. 8. 

On Feb. 16, his household introduced he had been hospitalized on account of an an infection.  

McMichael is survived by his spouse and daughter.