Super Bowl champion Steve McMichael, who died last year, revealed to have CTE

Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on FoxNews.com.

Pro Football Hall of Famer and Super Bowl champion Steve McMichael, who died last year at 67 after a five-year fight with ALS, has been posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, better known as CTE.

The Concussion & CTE Foundation announced that McMichael was diagnosed with stage 3 CTE. CTE can only be diagnosed after death.

McMichael revealed he had ALS in 2021, and pledged his brain to be studied upon his death, according to Chris Nowinski, co-founder and CEO of the Concussion & CTE Foundation.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Steve McMichael of the Chicago Bears runs a play during a game against the Dallas Cowboys in Chicago, Illinois, on Dec. 29, 1991. The Cowboys beat the Bears 17-13. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

"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.

ALS affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control.

GIANTS' DEXTER LAWRENCE REQUESTS TRADE AS CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS GET STAGNANT: REPORTS

Misty McMichael, wife of 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Steve McMichael, poses with his bust during the enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 3, 2024. Steve McMichael was unable to attend