American professional football player and professional wrestler, Steve McMichael, who served as a defensive tackle for 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), playing primarily for the Chicago Bears, tragically passed away on 23 April 2025 at the age of 67 after being diagnosed with ALS.
Often popularly referred to as “Mongo” and “Ming The Merciless” the legendary defensive tackle on the Bears’ famed 1985 Super Bowl championship team who remained a fixture in the Windy City for decades, Steve was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024. In one of his interviews in April 2021, Steve revealed he was battling ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), often also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, which directly impacts nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing a major loss of muscle control.
In this article we will take a look at the top four most memorable and iconic matches of Steve McMichael’s career.
Top 4 Most Memorable Matches of Steve McMichael’s Career
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Chicago Bears vs. Miami Dolphins – Monday Night Football, 1994
Well, the nail-biting, thrilling match between the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins at the 1994 Monday Night Football wasn’t just another regular-season clash. Instead, it became one of the most memorable and iconic matches in the glorious career of Chicago Bears’ McMichael, who was already at the apex of his career after his dominant and downright ferocious 1985 Super Bowl defence.
In his vintage performance against the Miami Dolphins, led by Dan Marino, McMichael registered two sacks, entirely disrupting the on-field scoring rhythm of the Miami Dolphins. Although, ultimately, the Chicago Bears suffered a brutal 42-0 loss against the Miami Dolphins, the match still strongly highlighted McMichael’s star-studded individual performance throughout the match.
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Chicago Bears vs. New England Patriots – Super Bowl XX, 1986
At the second spot in our list of the top four most memorable and iconic matches of McMichael’s career, we have the spine-chilling clash between the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots in the 1986 Super Bowl XX championship. The Bears ended up crushing the New England Patriots with a dominating 46-10 with McMichael strongly anchoring the defensive line throughout the match.
With the Chicago Bears’ infamous “46 Defense”, the New England Patriots managed to score just 123 total yards of offense, which was considered as the lowest total in the history of the NFL at that time. The triumph of the Chicago Bears against the New England Patriots at the 1986 Super Bowl XX Championships undoubtedly proved to be one of the most significant and prominent turning points in the career of McMichael, who rose to an undeniable streak of fame after the match.
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Chicago Bears vs. Philadelphia Eagles – 1988 NFC Divisional Playoff
Well, if we are talking about the top four most memorable and iconic matches of McMichael’s career, it’s practically impossible not to mention the infamous clash between the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles in the 1988 NFC Divisional Playoff, also popularly referred to as “The Fog Bowl”. Often hailed as one of the most unforgettable matches in the history of the NFL, the “Chicago Bears vs Philadelphia Eagles” match proved to be one of the most significant matches for McMichael to shine through.
The Chicago Bears ended up defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 20-12 and the iconic match undoubtedly glorified McMichael’s stature as the Bears’ most reliable defensive tackle.
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Chicago Bears vs Washington Redskins – 1986 Divisional Round
The defending Super Bowl champions, the Chicago Bears, went against the Washington Redskins in the 1986 Divisional Round and were highly favored to win. Ultimately, although the Chicago Bears lost the match against the Washington Redskins, their defensive tackle Steve McMichael undoubtedly outshined throughout the match, plugging the gaps and forcing running backs like George Rogers and Kelvin Bryant to bounce outside.
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Steve continued being the flag bearer of the Chicago Bears and managed to put up a formidable fight till the very end of the match, displaying his unwavering courage and loyalty to the Bears.
