Chicago Bears legend Steve McMichael will soon be moved to hospice care as his yearslong battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerois (ALS) continues, a source confirmed to the Tribune on Wednesday.
McMichael, 67, went public with his ALS diagnosis four years ago this month and has remained in a vicious fight with the severe nervous system disorder. A recent hospitalization put McMichael in the intensive care unit, and steps are being taken to move him into hospice.
Long beloved by Bears fans and a key piece on the team’s iconic 1985 Super Bowl championship team, McMichael was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame last summer. That was a fitting celebration for an accomplished defensive linemen who played with passion and personified toughness.
McMichael spent 13 of his 15 NFL seasons with the Bears and played 191 regular-season games for the franchise, all in a row. He totaled 95 career sacks and was named an All-Pro five times, garnering first-team honors in 1985 and 1987.
While he always left quite an impression with his boisterous personality, McMichael’s teammates respected his work ethic, unselfishness and reliability.
McMichael was part of six division champions with the Bears during a run in the 1980s and early 1990s that was defined by dominant defense.
In 2019, in conjunction with the Bears’ 100th season, McMichael was 18th on the Tribune’s list of the 100 greatest Bears of all time.
During last year’s Hall of Fame ceremonies, McMichael was presented with his gold jacket and had his bronze bust unveiled to him at his bedside in Homer Glen with family and former teammates beside him, a group that included his wife, Misty, his daughter, Macy, and fellow Bears Hall of Famers Richard Dent, Mike Singletary and Jimbo Covert.
“Welcome home, Steve,” Dent said. “You’re in football heaven. Forever. Much love brother.”
McMichael’s battle with ALS first robbed him of the use of his legs and arms and later took his speech. He has been bedridden for years but has continued his fight.
Upon revealing his diagnosis in 2021, McMichael conveyed a combination of surprise, frustration and acceptance. “I promise you,” he said, “this epitaph that I’m going to have on me now? This ain’t ever how I envisioned this was going to end. … What I used to be is the antithesis of what I am now. This is a humbling thing, brother.”
As both an optimist and a fighter, though, McMichael expressed his gratitude for all he was able to experience during his football journey plus pride in all he achieved. Even with the cruelty ALS has subjected him to in his later years, McMichael rarely felt the urge to play the “What if?” game. Nor did he have many second thoughts about the path his life took.
“Hell yes, I would do it all over again,” he told the Tribune in 2021. “Because it’s that journey that’s the reward. It’s that climb and how hard it was to substantiate yourself as out of the ordinary. That kind of achievement isn’t just given to you.”
Originally Published: April 23, 2025 at 12:59 PM CDT
