Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve McMichael Diagnosed With CTE After His Death

One of the greatest players in Chicago Bears history has been diagnosed with the degenerative brain disease known as CTE, and his family and loved ones hope that his diagnosis helps more players in the future.

According to the Concussion & CTE Foundation, former Bears defensive lineman Steve McMichael has been posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

McMichael died in 2025 after a lengthy battle with ALS, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame one year prior.

Breaking: Chicago Bears legend Steve "Mongo" McMichael was diagnosed with stage 3 CTE by researchers at @bu_cte. He was a key member of the Bears’ 1985 Super Bowl championship team and a Pro Football Hall of Famer. Mongo died in April 2025 after a nearly 5-year public battle with… pic.twitter.com/hbLhHtOyOf

— Concussion & CTE Foundation (@ConcussionCTEfn) April 7, 2026

In a statement from the foundation, McMichael's wife Misty acknowledged the potential link between ALS and eventual CTE diagnoses.

"Too many NFL players are developing ALS during life and diagnosed with CTE after death," Misty McMichael said. "I donated Steve's brain to inspire new research into the link between them."

Experts Conduct Research on ALS, CTE

CTE can only be diagnosed after death. The disease has caused those affected to suffer from unpredictable, sudden mood swings, depression and dangerous or impulsive behavior.

The Harvard Medical School and the Boston University CTE Center conducted a study in 2021, finding that NFL players were more than four times likely to develop ALS than other men, and that about 6% of individuals with CTE also have ALS.

Dr. Ann McKee of the Boston University CTE Center noted "strong evidence linking repetitive brain trauma and ALS" in that study, ultimately leading to the conditions that found McMichael's diagnosis.

After McMichael was diagnosed with ALS, he sought more information and research about the links between the disease and posthumous CTE cases.

Steve McMichael's Career and Legacy

McMichael played most of his NFL career with the Bears, suiting up for 191 consecutive games between 1981 and 1993. He's second in franchise history in sacks, trailing only Super Bowl MVP and longtime teammate Richard Dent.

McMichael was a two-time first-team All-Pro and a Super Bowl winner with the Bears, winning a championship as a member of the historic 1985 Chicago defense.

Nearly 50 friends, family and former teammates joined Steve McMichael at his home last night to celebrate his election to the Hall of Fame ????

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) February 9, 2024

Following his NFL career, McMichael joined World Championship Wrestling as a commentator. He would eventually become a pro wrestler in his own right, enjoying a reign as the WCW United States Champion. At one point, McMichael was a member of the legendary "Four Horsemen" stable in WCW, joining wrestling legends like Ric Flair.

Chris Nowinski, the co-founder and CEO of the Concussion & CTE Foundation - as well as a former professional wrestler - offered a statement following McMichael's CTE diagnosis.

"Steve McMichael was known for his strength, toughness, and larger-than-life presence, but his final act was to give a piece of himself back to the sports community so that we might have a chance to save ourselves," Nowinski said.

"I appreciate all the former athletes, including many of Steve's '85 Bears teammates, who are raising funds and volunteering to participate in CTE research so we can create a brighter future for athletes everywhere."

As of 2023, Boston University's CTE Center has found brain damage consistent with CTE in roughly 92% of deceased former players who have offered their brains to science.