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One of the most colorful players in Chicago Bears and NFL history, Steve "Mongo" McMichael died Wednesday after living the last years of his life with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. He was 67.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer solidified his legacy as a member of the Bears' beloved Super Bowl XX champions, anchoring a defensive line in Chicago's famed "46 defense" — still considered to be one of the NFL's best defenses.
McMichael was a fixture in Chicago, earning five All-Pro nods in 13 seasons. He has 92.5 sacks with the Bears, second in team history behind former teammate Richard Dent, and played an incredible 191 games in a row — a franchise record.
"Mongo" left an indelible mark on the sports world. We took a spin around social media to get the reactions.
The Chicago Bears called McMichael a "one-of-a-kind personality," who "will never be forgotten," posting a heartfelt 90-second highlight video that included words from McMichael himself.
"What you do in life speaks eternal, baby, and I am so glad to be a Chicago Bear and part of you guys' history," he said. "It's an honor and a privilege."
The Pro Football Hall of Fame lauded McMichael's tenacity and highlighted the love shown by his teammates.
"Everyone who played with or against Steve shares the same opinion: No one battled longer or harder from the snap until the whistle than Steve the player," the HOF said in a statement. "That legendary will to fight allowed him to experience his enshrinement as a member of the Hall’s Class of 2024. And the love his teammates showed him throughout this difficult journey says everything about Steve the man.”
NFL Draft: The Chicago Bears have made 98 first-round picks in NFL Draft since 1936. Here's the list
McMichael spent his final year in football playing with the Green Bay Packers and performed for years as a wrestler and commentator for multiple professional wrestling organizations, including the World Wrestling Federation.
McMichael was one of the final members of "The Four Horsemen," a legendary wrestling quartet that began with Ric Flair, Ole Anderson, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard. McMichael was part in the late 1990s.
Flair, now 76, celebrated McMichael in a post on X.com, calling him a friend, amazing athlete and human being.
"I have the fondest memories working with him, and this is an extremely heartbreaking loss for me!" Flair wrote. "I love you, Mongo! You fought one hell of a battle!"
Arn Anderson also posted a tribute, calling McMichael "one hell of a man" and ending his remembrance with a "side note to God: You're gonna have your hands full with this one."
In 2001, McMichael sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh-inning stretch during a Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field. before jumping into song, McMichael sent a barb to home-plate umpire Angel Hernandez, saying "I'll have a speech with that home-plate umpire after the game," referring to a perceived blown call the inning before.
Hernandez glared up from the field at McMichael, who then booed, hoisted a beer and burst into the song.
Family friend and WGN-TV sports anchor Jarrett Payton, the son of Bears legendary running back Walter Payton, posted a video of McMichael from 2021 in which "Mongo" shares some sobering words in the face of his ALS diagnosis.
"You know what's best in the human condition, my son? Compassion. Not warrior. Not competitor. Not alpha," McMichael said. "The compassion in the human being. And with what's going on in the world today, you kinda lose faith in that, don't ya?
"But everybody that comes into my presence now that I'm in this condition, that's the first thing I see on their face ... Man, and it reinvigorates your belief in humanity."
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Chicago Bears legend Steve 'Mongo' McMichael remembered: Social media reaction
Continue reading...
The Pro Football Hall of Famer solidified his legacy as a member of the Bears' beloved Super Bowl XX champions, anchoring a defensive line in Chicago's famed "46 defense" — still considered to be one of the NFL's best defenses.
McMichael was a fixture in Chicago, earning five All-Pro nods in 13 seasons. He has 92.5 sacks with the Bears, second in team history behind former teammate Richard Dent, and played an incredible 191 games in a row — a franchise record.
"Mongo" left an indelible mark on the sports world. We took a spin around social media to get the reactions.
'Brave battle'
The Chicago Bears called McMichael a "one-of-a-kind personality," who "will never be forgotten," posting a heartfelt 90-second highlight video that included words from McMichael himself.
"What you do in life speaks eternal, baby, and I am so glad to be a Chicago Bear and part of you guys' history," he said. "It's an honor and a privilege."
The Pro Football Hall of Fame lauded McMichael's tenacity and highlighted the love shown by his teammates.
"Everyone who played with or against Steve shares the same opinion: No one battled longer or harder from the snap until the whistle than Steve the player," the HOF said in a statement. "That legendary will to fight allowed him to experience his enshrinement as a member of the Hall’s Class of 2024. And the love his teammates showed him throughout this difficult journey says everything about Steve the man.”
NFL Draft: The Chicago Bears have made 98 first-round picks in NFL Draft since 1936. Here's the list
Mongo, pro wrestling and the Four Horsemen
McMichael spent his final year in football playing with the Green Bay Packers and performed for years as a wrestler and commentator for multiple professional wrestling organizations, including the World Wrestling Federation.
McMichael was one of the final members of "The Four Horsemen," a legendary wrestling quartet that began with Ric Flair, Ole Anderson, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard. McMichael was part in the late 1990s.
Flair, now 76, celebrated McMichael in a post on X.com, calling him a friend, amazing athlete and human being.
"I have the fondest memories working with him, and this is an extremely heartbreaking loss for me!" Flair wrote. "I love you, Mongo! You fought one hell of a battle!"
Arn Anderson also posted a tribute, calling McMichael "one hell of a man" and ending his remembrance with a "side note to God: You're gonna have your hands full with this one."
'I'll have a speech with that umpire after the game'
In 2001, McMichael sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh-inning stretch during a Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field. before jumping into song, McMichael sent a barb to home-plate umpire Angel Hernandez, saying "I'll have a speech with that home-plate umpire after the game," referring to a perceived blown call the inning before.
Hernandez glared up from the field at McMichael, who then booed, hoisted a beer and burst into the song.
'Compassion'
Family friend and WGN-TV sports anchor Jarrett Payton, the son of Bears legendary running back Walter Payton, posted a video of McMichael from 2021 in which "Mongo" shares some sobering words in the face of his ALS diagnosis.
"You know what's best in the human condition, my son? Compassion. Not warrior. Not competitor. Not alpha," McMichael said. "The compassion in the human being. And with what's going on in the world today, you kinda lose faith in that, don't ya?
"But everybody that comes into my presence now that I'm in this condition, that's the first thing I see on their face ... Man, and it reinvigorates your belief in humanity."
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Chicago Bears legend Steve 'Mongo' McMichael remembered: Social media reaction
Continue reading...
