BOSTON – Former NFL star Steve McMichael, a central figure in the powerful defensive lineup that propelled the 1985 Chicago Bears to their Super Bowl triumph, was posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, as confirmed by the Concussion & CTE Foundation.
McMichael passed away recently at 67, having endured a five-year struggle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
“A troubling number of National Football League athletes are experiencing ALS during their lifetimes and subsequently diagnosed with CTE after passing,” his wife, Misty McMichael, declared in a statement provided by the foundation. “I offered Steve’s brain for study to stimulate novel investigations into their potential connection.”
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder detected in individuals involved in contact sports, military personnel returning from combat, and others subjected to repeated cranial impacts. It is understood to manifest as aggressive emotional fluctuations, uncontrolled impulses, and states of melancholy.
A conclusive diagnosis for this ailment is solely achievable following an individual’s demise.
Insights from a 2021 investigation conducted by Harvard Medical School and the Boston University CTE Center reveal that professional football players possess a likelihood greater than four times that of other men for developing ALS. Dr. Ann McKee, who heads the Boston University CTE Center, reported that approximately six percent of brains in their repository showing CTE also exhibited signs of ALS.
“Significant indicators point to a connection between repeated brain injury and ALS,” McKee declared.
An athlete honored twice as an All-Pro and designated for the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame, McMichael garnered the nicknames “Mongo” and “Ming The Merciless” throughout his team-record streak of 191 consecutive contests from 1981 to 1993. With 92.5 career sacks, he holds the second position behind Richard Dent on the Bears’ all-time list.
McMichael concluded his NFL tenure playing for Green Bay in 1994, subsequently embarking on a career in professional wrestling.
In 2021, McMichael made public his struggle with ALS, a disorder that impacts the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to a decline in muscle function. He tracked investigations into the correlation between ALS and CTE and volunteered his brain for examination, as confirmed by Chris Nowinski, co-founder and CEO of the Concussion & CTE Foundation.
“Steve McMichael gained renown for his immense power, unyielding resilience, and formidable personality, yet his ultimate gesture involved contributing a part of himself to the athletic community, thereby offering us a path to greater understanding,” Nowinski commented. “My appreciation goes out to all ex-athletes, including many of Steve’s teammates from the 1985 Bears, who are contributing resources and offering their time to engage in CTE studies, with the goal of fostering an improved future for sports participants worldwide.”
