Steve McMichael
McMichael in 2016 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 76, 90 | |||||||||||||||
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| Position | Defensive tackle | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | October 17, 1957 Houston, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Died | April 23, 2025 (aged 67) Joliet, Illinois, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 270 lb (122 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Freer (Freer, Texas) | ||||||||||||||
| College | Texas (1975–1980) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1980: 3rd round, 73rd overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
Playing | |||||||||||||||
Coaching | |||||||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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| Head coaching record | |||||||||||||||
| Regular season | 58–34 (.630) | ||||||||||||||
| Postseason | 4–4 (.500) | ||||||||||||||
| Career | 62–38 (.620) | ||||||||||||||
Stephen Douglas McMichael (October 17, 1957 – April 23, 2025), nicknamed "Mongo", "Ming", and "Ming the Merciless", was an American professional football player and professional wrestler. He was a defensive tackle for 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily for the Chicago Bears. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns and was selected by the New England Patriots in the 1980 NFL draft. After retiring from playing football, he wrestled in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and was part of The Four Horsemen stable.
While playing for the Bears, he was a two-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro, winning Super Bowl XX with the team. He ended his football career with the Green Bay Packers, before making appearances for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) ahead of WrestleMania XI.
In World Championship Wrestling (WCW), he started off as a color commentator before ultimately obtaining a career as a professional wrestler. He would be a member of the Four Horsemen stable and was a one time WCW United States Heavyweight Champion. Before retiring from public appearances, McMichael was a regular presence on Chicago sports radio and was the namesake of a restaurant in the southwest suburbs of Chicago.
From 2007 to 2013, McMichael was the head coach of the Chicago Slaughter of the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL). He ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Romeoville, Illinois southwest of Chicago. In 2021, he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). McMichael was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024. On April 23, 2025, McMichael was moved into hospice care. After transitioning into hospice care, McMichael died the same day at 67.