by: Anna Roberts
Posted: Apr 23, 2025 / 04:53 PM EDT
Updated: Apr 23, 2025 / 04:54 PM EDT
CHICAGO (WGN) — Chicago Bears legend Steve “Mongo” McMichael, who was previously diagnosed with ALS, is being moved to hospice care.
A source told Nexstar’s WGN on Wednesday that the NFL Hall of Famer is being removed from a ventilator in the ICU and transferred to a hospice care facility. Betsy Shepherd, a spokeswoman for the former Bears star, confirmed the decision in an email to the Associated Press.
In January 2021, McMichael announced he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and had been battling the disease with the help of his wife, Misty, ever since.
His wife, Misty, told a Chicago outlet that McMichael has been “unresponsive for last two weeks and in and out of the hospital,” prompting a recommendation to transfer him to hospice care.
FILE – Former Chicago Bears defensive tackle Steve McMichael holds a Chicago Slaughter jersey during a news conference Feb. 19, 2010, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Sun-Times via AP, File)
McMichael, a larger than life player and personality who starred along the defensive line of the iconic 1985 Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears, spent 13 seasons in the Windy City, where he accumulated the second-most sacks in franchise history (92.5) and set the club record for consecutive games played (191). He spent his final season with the Green Bay Packers.
After his playing days came to a close, McMichael also spent five years in professional wrestling in the late 1990s, where he worked for World Championship Wrestling at the height of the “Monday Night Wars” with the World Wrestling Federation.
McMichael started there as a color commentator and later joined Ric Flair in the “Four Horsemen” group.
Last summer, McMichael was inducted into the Hall of Fame. While he could not make the trip to Ohio, a special celebration was held at his home in Homer Glen.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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