Steve McMichael has received some good news in his recent health battle.
The Bears legend was admitted to the ICU with an infection last week, but is expected to be released from an Illinois hospital on Thursday.
Walter Payton’s son, Jarrett, shared with X a statement from McMichael’s family about the positive development of events.
“Mongo is scheduled to return home tomorrow!” the statement read. “We appreciate all the prayers and ask for your continued thoughts and prayers for Steve and his family.”
McMichael, 66, was hospitalized last Thursday to battle a urinary tract infection, and a family member announced over the weekend that she had contracted MRSA. MRSA is particularly difficult to treat because it is resistant to “some antibiotics.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
His family said Sunday that his condition is improving and they hope he can be discharged from hospital within the next few days.
The former defensive tackle has been battling ALS since 2021 and was admitted to the ICU at Silver Cross Hospital last August with sepsis and pneumonia.
McMichael learned a week before this recent ICU admission that he would join fellow Bears Devin Hester and Julius Peppers as part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2024 graduating class.
McMichael, known as “Mongo,” played in a Bears-record 191 consecutive games and had 92.5 sacks, second in franchise history with Chicago.
He led the Bears’ vaunted defense in 1985, leading the team to its first and only Super Bowl victory.
“When I think about Steve as a player and as a teammate, I can trust him,” former Bears star said. Mike Singletary said on the team’s website after McMichael was inducted into the Hall of Fame. “Steve is what you would call a blue-collar guy. He was a teammate. As a player, he was the best. You could always rely on him to do his job and be where he was supposed to be. Masu.
“I truly believe that one of the things he prides himself on is being reliable and being a teammate.”
