Bears icon Steve McMichael diagnosed with CTE year after death - ESPN

BOSTON — Hall of Famer Steve McMichael, a key member of the dominating defense that helped the 1985 Chicago Bears win the Super Bowl, has been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the Concussion & CTE Foundation said.

McMichael died last year at 67 after a five-year battle with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

«Too many NFL players are developing ALS during life and diagnosed with CTE after death,» his wife, Misty McMichael, said in a statement released by the foundation. «I donated Steve's brain to inspire new research into the link between them.»

CTE is a degenerative brain disease that has been found in athletes in contact sports, combat veterans and others exposed to repetitive head trauma. It has been known to cause violent mood swings, impulsive behavior and depression.

It can only be diagnosed after death.

According to a 2021 study by the Harvard Medical School and the Boston University CTE Center, NFL players are more than four times more likely to develop ALS than other men. Dr. Ann McKee, director of the Boston University CTE Center, said about 6% of individuals with CTE in the brain bank also have ALS.

«There is strong evidence linking repetitive brain trauma and ALS,» McKee said.

A two-time All-Pro and 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, McMichael was known as «Mongo» and «Ming The Merciless» while playing in a franchise-record 191 consecutive games from 1981-93. He ranks second to Richard Dent on the Bears' career sacks list with 92.5.

McMichael played his final NFL season with Green Bay in 1994 and then went on to a career in pro wrestling.

In 2021, McMichael revealed he was battling ALS, which affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control. He