While Chicago Bears legend Steve McMichael was unable to attend the Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremony, the ceremony came to him in powerful scenes from his home in Homer Glen, Illinois.
Battling ALS and bedridden in the advanced stages of the neurological disease, the 66-year-old two-time All-Pro defensive tackle was the second player enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame among seven members of the Class of 2024 on Saturday.
Surrounded by several of his Bears teammates and his wife, Misty, McMichael wore his gold jacket as his… bronze bust It was presented live in an emotional tribute.
“You’re on a team that you can never be separated from or released from. When you die, you’ll always be on this team. Welcome home, Steve. You’ll be in football heaven forever,” Hall of Famer Richard Dent said, patting McMichael on the head.
Misty wiped the tears from her face as she turned her husband’s head toward the bronze bust. “That’s you, honey, forever,” she said.
Steve McMichael, who was diagnosed with ALS, was inducted into the American Football Hall of Fame.
Jim McMahon, quarterback of the Bears’ 1985 Super Bowl championship team, watched the scene on a video screen from the in-person event at Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, Ohio. Many Bears fans shed tears upon seeing McMichael.
Nicknamed “Mongo” and known for his brash, boisterous personality, McMichael was the most feared player on one of the greatest defenses in NFL history. He became the fourth defensive player from the 1985 team to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, joining Dent, Mike Singletary and Dan Hampton.
McMichael’s sister, Kathy, read a speech she began working on with her brother before he lost the ability to move and speak.
“I want to thank the Chicago Bears and the fans, the best city to play football in,” Kathy McMichael said. “I played 15 years in the NFL and loved every minute of every play. I played with the best players and the best defense to this day.”
The defensive tackle’s career with Chicago was highlighted by his two All-Pro honors.
McMichael’s induction took place at his home in Illinois, surrounded by his wife and teammates.
McMichael played a franchise-record 191 consecutive games from 1981 to 1993.
The Hall of Famer made his ALS diagnosis public three years ago
Jarret Payton, son of Bears Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton, introduced McMichael, who called Payton a “pseudo son” in the speech read by his sister.
“The only thing bigger than his personality is his heart,” Payton said.
McMichael played in a franchise-record 191 consecutive games from 1981-93 and ranks second behind Dent on the Bears’ all-time sack list with 92 1/2. His final NFL season was with Green Bay in 1994.
McMichael went public with his ALS diagnosis three years ago, and has since suffered more than his fair share of health problems.
He was hospitalized again in April after returning from the ICU in February.