He was larger than life, both on and off the field. Steve 'Mongo' McMichael wasn't just a defensive tackle who terrorised quarterbacks in the 1985 Super Bowl-winning Chicago Bears team – he was a personality.
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Whether it was smashing guitars in a rock band with teammates or dazzling wrestling fans after football, McMichael lived life to the full. But in 2021, that vibrant spirit was tested when he was diagnosed with ALS, a motor neuron disease that would eventually take his life in April 2025. Grey's Anatomy's Eric Dane was also recently diagnosed with this life-changing condition.
Steve McMichael: From Super Bowl hero to wrestling showman
Before his health struggles made headlines, Steve McMichael had carved out a name for himself as one of the NFL's most ferocious defenders. Known affectionately as 'Mongo' and 'Ming The Merciless', the Houston-born athlete played 13 seasons for the Bears, helping them win Super Bowl XX in 1985.
His contribution to what many still call the greatest defence in NFL history was monumental. A powerhouse on the pitch, McMichael recorded 95 career sacks and played 191 consecutive games with the Bears – a franchise record that still stands today.
Beyond football, he showcased his larger-than-life character by transitioning to professional wrestling in 1995. Until 1999, he battled opponents in WCW, often facing off against icons like Ric Flair. His charisma won over fans, especially when he pulled off his trademark antics – smashing bottles over his head, cracking jokes mid-interview, and generally embracing the chaos.
McMichael also stayed close to his Bears roots, performing with teammates Dan Hampton and Otis Wilson in a band named the Chicago 6.
As his legend grew, so did his impact. Steve wasn’t just a player or a performer – he was a symbol of gritty resilience.
The story, however, took a poignant turn in 2021, ushering in a new kind of battle.
Facing ALS: A battle like no other
McMichael's ALS diagnosis in April 2021 shocked the sports world. Known for his brute strength and energy, the idea of him gradually losing control of his body was heartbreaking to many. ALS, a terminal motor neuron disease, gradually breaks down the brain and spinal cord’s ability to control muscles. For Steve, this meant a transformation from a 270-pound athlete to someone dependent on machines.
As reported by Mirror, he told the press in 2021:
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, who had once demolished offensive lines, was now fighting a much more personal and invisible enemy.
His wife Misty, his steadfast supporter, was his full-time caregiver, managing his physical needs alongside a team of nurses. Misty revealed that towards the end he was afraid of dying but she asked him to hold on a bit longer for something big was coming. She said:
He’s scared to die and he shouldn’t be because he’s the most badass man I’ve ever known inside and out. He’s a good man. He’s gonna be in heaven before any of us, so I don’t know what he’s afraid of. But I’ve told him to please hang on ’til the (induction) and then, you know, I don’t want to see him suffer anymore. He’s been suffering.
When the Hall of Fame finally came calling in 2024, the ceremony came to him.
In a deeply emotional moment at their Illinois home, Misty helped him into the gold jacket, while their daughter Macy watched with pride. Misty whispered as she stroked Steve's shoulder:
That’s so awesome.
It was a quiet triumph amidst the suffering.
Yet, his illness wasn’t without terrifying moments. Pneumonia nearly took his life, and multiple close calls followed. Misty told ESPN:
He didn't come to until the next morning. Once you're septic, you don't normally come back from that. But he did.
His journey was riddled with physical decline but carried forward by sheer will.
Through it all, the support from former teammates never waned. Bears legends visited frequently, building ramps and playing music at his bedside. These gestures, while simple, were monumental. As ESPN shared:
They also talk with him, reminisce with him: about Mike Ditka and Buddy Ryan and pulverizing quarterbacks and breaking curfews and, of course, about that sweet, sweet night in January of 1986 when they ran the Patriots out of the building, 46-10, and won the Super Bowl in New Orleans.
This battle against ALS highlighted McMichael's enduring spirit. And at the heart of that resilience was his family.
The family that stood by him
While fans celebrated his athletic accomplishments, those closest to Steve knew a different side – one built on love and quiet strength.
His wife, Misty Davenport McMichael, was his constant companion through the illness. They married in 2001 after meeting in 1998, and she remained by his side until his final breath. Before Misty, Steve was married to Debra Marshall, a wrestler and actress, but it was Misty who shared his most vulnerable years.
Their daughter, Macy Dale, was born in 2008. Now 17, Macy has grown up amidst her father's health struggles, often at his side during key milestones. Misty once told Essentially Sports:
He’s amazing. In football, especially, but in everything he does, he’s amazing. He’s the most awesome football player I’ve ever seen. I’m a little bit biased, but y’all can watch the film.
The family’s Illinois home became a gathering place for Steve’s old friends and teammates. The Bears’ brotherhood rallied around him. Some brought guitars, others brought laughter. Jarrett Payton, son of the legendary Walter Payton, was a regular visitor. The emotional support was as important as the physical care.
When Steve passed away on April 23, 2025, at a hospice in Chicago, the family released a statement:
With deep sorrow, I share that Steve McMichael passed at 5:28 PM after a brave fight with #ALS, surrounded by loved ones. I’m grateful to have been with him in his final moments. Please keep Steve and his family in your prayers.
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Sources used
Mirror: Steve McMichael dead: NFL legend who played for Chicago Bears for 13 years passes away at 67
Essentially Sports: Who Is Steve McMichael’s Wife, Misty? All About Bears’ Legend’s Wife, Daughter and More
Eyewitness News: Battling ALS is not a fight Chicago Bears legend Steve McMichael ever thought he would have to wage
ESPN: Steve McMichael's fight for his Pro Football Hall of Fame call
