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

Pro Football Hall of Famer and Super Bowl champion Steve McMichael, who died past twelvemonth astatine 67 aft a five-year combat with ALS, has been posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, amended known arsenic CTE.

The Concussion & CTE Foundation announced that McMichael was diagnosed with signifier 3 CTE. CTE tin lone beryllium diagnosed aft death.

McMichael revealed helium had ALS successful 2021, and pledged his encephalon to beryllium studied upon his death, according to Chris Nowinski, co-founder and CEO of the Concussion & CTE Foundation.

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Steve McMichael of the Chicago Bears runs a play during a crippled against the Dallas Cowboys successful Chicago, Illinois, connected Dec. 29, 1991. The Cowboys bushed the Bears 17-13. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

"Too galore NFL players are processing ALS during beingness and diagnosed with CTE aft death," his wife, Misty McMichael, said successful a connection released by the foundation. "I donated Steve’s encephalon to animate caller probe into the nexus betwixt them."

CTE is simply a degenerative encephalon disease that has been recovered successful athletes successful interaction sports, combat veterans, and others exposed to repetitive caput trauma. It has been known to origin convulsive temper swings, impulsive behavior, and depression.

ALS affects nervus cells successful the encephalon and spinal cord, causing nonaccomplishment of musculus control.

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Misty McMichael, woman of 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Steve McMichael, poses with his bust during the enshrinement ceremonial astatine Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium successful Canton, Ohio, connected Aug. 3, 2024. Steve McMichael was incapable to be owed to illness. (Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports)

According to a 2021 survey by the Harvard Medical School and the Boston University CTE Center, NFL players are much than 4 times much apt to make ALS than different men. Dr. Ann McKee, manager of the Boston University CTE Center, said astir 6% of individuals with CTE successful the encephalon slope besides person ALS, besides known arsenic Lou Gehrig’s disease.

"There is beardown grounds linking repetitive encephalon trauma and ALS," McKee said.

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Steve McMichael smiles during the Chicago Bears grooming campy successful Lake Forest, Illinois, connected Aug. 28, 1990. (Charles Cherney/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service)

McMichael, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame successful 2024, was a cardinal subordinate of the Chicago Bears' Super Bowl winning play successful 1985. McMichael spent 13 seasons of his vocation with the Bears, racking up 847 combined tackles and 91 sacks successful 191 games with Chicago.

McMichael played successful the NFL for 15 seasons, spending his rookie play with the New England Patriots, his adjacent 13 with the Bears, and his last 1 with the Green Bay Packers.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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