Legendary Bears lineman Steve “Mongo” McMichael has died, Walter Payton’s son, Jarrett, shared on Wednesday.
He was 67.
Payton said McMichael was surrounded by his loved ones at the time of his death.
McMichael was diagnosed with ALS in 2021 and the disease moved into the advanced stages, with the Bears great’s health taking a turn for the worse in the past few weeks, his wife, Misty, told Fox 32 in Chicago.
She said he had been “unresponsive for last two weeks and in and out of the hospital.”
McMichael was moving into hospice care on Wednesday, his family revealed earlier in the day.
“With deep sorrow, I share that Steve McMichael passed at 5:28 PM after a brave fight with #ALS, surrounded by loved ones,” Payton wrote. “I’m grateful to have been with him in his final moments. Please keep Steve and his family your prayers.”
Former Chicago Bears defensive tackle Steve McMichael died Wednesday. AP
ALS, which is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a neurodegenerative disease affecting the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing a loss of muscle control.
McMichael started playing in the NFL with the Patriots in 1980 and then spent the next 13 years with the Bears, where he became a beloved figure in franchise history and a key part of the team’s 1985 Super Bowl championship.
He recorded 95 career sacks over his 15-year NFL career and was named an All-Pro five times, which included first-team honors in 1985 and 1987.
Steve McMichael gets his Hall of Fame jacket. NFL/Instagraph
McMichael played his final season in the NFL in 1994 with the Packers.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame last summer and the legendary Bear was presented with his gold jacket and bronze bust at his bedside in Homer Glenn, Illinois.
McMichael was joined by former teammates, Misty and his daughter, Macy, for the ceremony.
Following his time in pro football, McMichael spent five years in the professional wrestling world working for World Championship Wrestling, starting as a color commentator before becoming part of the legendary “Four Horsemen” faction led by Ric Flair.
Steve McMichael spent 13 seasons playing with the Bears. Getty Images
He later returned to football, serving as the head coach of the Chicago Slaughter of the Continental Indoor Football League.
