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Courney Cronin
The temple of renown Steve “Mongo” McMichael, a faithful member of the famous “46 defense” of the dominant Chicago of the Chicago “46” of the 1980s which ranked second in the history of the franchise with 92.5 bags, died at the age of 67, the NFL announced on Wednesday.
McMichael received a diagnosis of SLA, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease in 2021. He was to be transferred to palliative care on Wednesday.
McMichael played a season for the New England Patriots and one with the Packers of Green Bay, but it was the 13 seasons between the Bears where he made his mark, in particular by playing in a team of 191 consecutive games. In total, McMichael played in 207 games between 1981 and 1994.
The defensive tackle won a Super Bowl (1985) and was selected twice selected in the first All-Pro team and in Pro Bowl. He had at least seven bags in seven consecutive seasons (1983 to 1989), second among the players of the 10 -year sequence of Richard Dent.
“It is with deep sadness that I can confirm that my good friend and client Steve McMichael has died,” his longtime publicist told ESPN Betsy Shepherd. “There will never be a stronger fighter than we will never know. He was also the sweetest guy I have ever known.
On August 3, 2023, about 344 miles west of the Tom Benson stadium in Canton, Ohio, McMichael was officially enrolled in the renowned professional football temple.
Surrounded by his wife, daughter and members of the famous Bears defense of 1985, the bust of the McMichael renowned temple was unveiled inside his house in Homer Glen, Illinois. McMichael posed in his bed in his gold jacket while her sister, Kathy, delivered the discourse of the defensive tackle in a pre -recorded video.
Former teammates Richard, Ron Rivera, Mike Singletary, Jimbo Covert, Gary Fencik, Jim Osborne and Marcus Keyes.
“Steve, we are here with all your world champion brothers,” said Dent. “Back in Canton, we have 378 brothers looking for you. You are in a team you can never be cut, you can never be released. When you die in this team, you will always be on it.”
The live video of McMichael’s bedside was broadcast towards the crowd in Canton while Chris Berman d’Espn, who was the ceremonial master of the fame, relayed the message he received from the defensive tackle on his impact on the career.
“I don’t want SLA to be my inheritance,” said the message. “What I did on the field was my inheritance. I pushed myself up to the limit … further than anyone could.”
In the end, chosen by the main committee of the fame temple, McMichael had already been nominated for the renowned professional football temple in 2014 and 2015 and had succeeded in the first candidates’ cup twice before leaving a selection twice.
McMichael’s wife Misty actively campaigned for the consolidation of her husband while her battle with Als advanced and took her ability to move or speak to her, which has left her in bed in the last years of her life.
McMichael had signed a form “not revived” in 2023 before his condition begins to worsen. After learning that he was one of the senior semi-finalists last August, McMichael informed his wife that he wanted to tear the MRN and bet in his fight against SLA when he was waiting for a word on his selection.
“I am proud of everything we have accomplished together, in particular the National Pro Football Hall of Fame,” said Shepherd in ESPN on Wednesday. “It was the last thing he could tell me before losing his ability to speak. I asked him what I could do elsewhere for him and he whispered,” temple of fame “. Thanks to fans, we did!
McMichael collected eight bags during the 1985 regular season – and added another in the victory of the Super Bowl XX against the New England Patriots – and was a selection of the first All -Pro team when he started each match of the season. He checked the interior of the line for a defense that ranked n ° 1 in fewer authorized points, the least authorized yards and take -out dishes this season – in addition to granting only 10 points in three victories in the playoffs – and is considered by many as the best of all time after driving Chicago to a 18-1 file.
McMichael, who finished with 95 career bags, also had 847 career plated, 13 forced escapes, 17 escaped recovery, 2 interceptions and 3 security recorded in 213 career games. Its 92.5 bags with the Bears ranked second in the history of the tooth team.
While McMichael was often overshadowed by the Singletary and Dent of the renowned temple, he played a decisive role in the success of the Bears. Bears head coach Mike Ditka said McMichael was the most tough player he ever trained.
McMichael ended his career with the Rival Packers in 1994, but he liked to tell the retired people that the only reason he signed with the Rival bitter of the Bears was to “steal their money and make him his ass again!”
McMichael was drafted by the Patriots in the third round of the NFL draft in 1980 of Texas, where the Houston native was a selection of the whole first team in unanimous for a notoriously stingy defense and left as a leader of all time in the career plates (369) and the bags (30).
He was inducted at the renowned temple of university football in 2010.
After football, “Mongo” had a career resurgence as a professional wrestler at the World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he won the United States heavyweight championship as a member of the famous group “Four Horsemen” led by Ric Flair.
Courtney Cronin d’Espn contributed to this report.
