CARDS: Action Packed 1990, Skybox 1992, Gameday 1991, University of Texas Upper Deck 2011
ACQUIRED: IP 1993, CGA Youth Golf Tournament. TTM 2012, C/o Home
SENT: 6/24/12 RECEIVED: 7/14/12 (20 Days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

• Steve McMichael played DL at the University of Texas from 1976-’79.
• He set the college’s career records for most tackles (369) and sacks (30) and was named the Hula Bowl MVP in 1979.
• Selected in the third round of the 1980 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.
• Had a quiet rookie season, recording only 5 tackles.
• Released and signed with the Bears in 1981 and quickly became a mainstay at DT/NT.
• He’d provide solid work in the trenches as a technically sound run stopper and pass rusher over 13 seasons.
• McMichael also notched over 10 sacks 3 times in his career along the way.
• Started a team record 191 consecutive games.
• Key contributor to the Bears solid efforts to win Super Bowl XX in 1985, ironically against his ex team- the Patriots.
• McMichael played a final season across the lake in Green Bay before retiring in 1994.
• Had 3 career safeties.
• After football, pursued a career in Pro Wrestling, adopting the name “Mongo” and coming in under the WCW banner.
• Mongo would have a much publicized wrestling career and even took on other former pro football players such as Kevin Greene and Reggie White.
• Wrestled under different banners and groups through 1999.
• Returned to the sport briefly again in 2008 as a referee in TNA Wrestling.
• Since that time, Steve spent time doing pre-game commentary for Bears games.
• Coached the Chicago Slaughter of the CIFL from 2007-’13.
• Went 14-0 in 2009 as the Slaughter won the CIFL Championship.
• Finished with a 58-34 record.
• Steve’s health began to decline, and in 2021, he announced he was fighting ALS- a CTE complication suspected from his physical career playing football.

ACCOLADES:

• College Football Hall of Fame
• Pro Football Hall of Fame
• WCW Heavyweight Champion 1997

NOTES:

I initially got Steve’s autograph when he was riding around with Earnest Byner during the CGA Youth Golf Tournament in 1993. Steve and Ray Childress were my favorite defensive linemen when I was a kid, so to meet both of them during my younger years was quite a treat to me. I had already gotten back around to Ray, and had been looking for a good excuse to write Steve again, so when the University of Texas Upper Deck 2011 set came out, I thought I had the best justification to do so, and put 3 cards in the mail.

Well, I’m guessing Steve didn’t have his UT Upper Deck All American card or his All Time Alumni card as he kept those. Still the fact that he signed his base set card, was what I really wanted most, so to just get only one back from him was fine by me.

Mike Ditka called McMichael the toughest player he ever coached.  Now let me stress that again… Mike Ditka called him that.

My strange connection to Mongo is that while I was working at a used video game store back in ’97, his ex-wife’s best friend was my boss. I eavesdropped on one too many conversations back then.

Steve appears in both Tecmo Bowl and Tecmo Super Bowl on the NES.

EPITAPH:

4/23/25- Shortly after arriving at hospice in Joliet, IL, Steve passed away at the age of 67 from ALS.

TAC	SAC	FUM	INT	YDS	AVG	TD	LG
838	95.0	13	2	5	2.5	0	5