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“Too many NFL players are developing ALS during life and
diagnosed with CTE after death,” his wife, Misty McMichael, said
in a statement released by the foundation. “I donated Steve’s
brain to inspire new research into the link between them.”
CTE is a degenerative brain disease that has been found in
athletes in contact sports, combat veterans and others exposed
to repetitive head trauma. It has been known to cause violent
mood swings, impulsive behavior and depression.
It can only be diagnosed after death.
According to a 2021 study by the Harvard Medical School and the
Boston University CTE Center, NFL players are more than four
times more likely to develop ALS than other men. Dr. Ann McKee,
director of the Boston University CTE Center, said about 6% of
individuals with CTE in the brain bank also have ALS, also known
as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
“There is strong evidence linking repetitive brain trauma and
ALS,” McKee said.
A two-time All-Pro and 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee,
McMichael was known as “Mongo” and “Ming The Merciless” while
playing in a franchise-record 191 consecutive games from
1981-93. He ranks second to Richard Dent on the Bears’ career
sacks list with 92 1/2.
McMichael played his final NFL season with Green Bay in 1994,
and then went on to a career in pro wrestling.
In 2021, McMichael revealed he had ALS, which affects nerve
cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle
control. He followed the research seeking a link between ALS and
CTE and pledged his brain to be studied, according to Chris
Nowinski, co-founder and CEO of the Concussion & CTE Foundation.
“Steve McMichael was known for his strength, toughness, and
larger-than-life presence, but his final act was to give a piece
of himself back to the sports community so that we might have a
chance to save ourselves,” Nowinski said. “I appreciate all the
former athletes, including many of Steve’s ’85 Bears teammates,
who are raising funds and volunteering to participate in CTE
research so we can create a brighter future for athletes
everywhere.”
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