Bears Hall of Famer Steve McMichael Diagnosed With CTE After Death

Hall of Fame defensive lineman Steve McMichael, the relentless anchor of the 1985 Chicago Bears’ championship defense, has been found to have suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, researchers announced. The Concussion & CTE Foundation confirmed the diagnosis, which came after McMichael’s death in 2025 following a prolonged battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

CTE, a progressive brain disease linked to repeated head trauma, can only be definitively identified posthumously. McMichael’s case adds another prominent name to the growing list of former NFL players found to have the condition, further fueling debate about long-term health risks in football.

A fan favorite known as Mongo, McMichael played 15 seasons in the NFL, 13 with Chicago, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his on-field dominance. His family agreed to donate his brain for study, hoping the findings would contribute to a broader understanding of football-related brain injuries.