Steve McMichael's CTE Diagnosis Sparks NFL Brain Research

0:00On April 7th, Chicago Bears legend Steve McMichael got hit with a tough posthumous diagnosis. One year after passing at age 67, researchers at Boston University confirmed he had staged three chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. He'd already battled ALS for five years before his death in April 2025. His wife, Misty, married to him for 25 years, pushed to make this public, donating his brain to spotlight the link between CTE and ALS in NFL. Players. She hopes his sparks more research into why so many gridiron grates face these brain issues. McMichael was a beast on the field for 15 NFL seasons, mostly anchoring the Bears' defense from 1981 to 1993, including that epic Super Bowl win after the 1985 season. Fans and family mourn hard when ALS sidelined him back in 2021. Now the concussion and CTE foundation is rallying, with folks like co-founder Chris Nuinsky praising McMichael's final gift to the sports world.

1:02Even his 1985 Bears teammates are stepping up, fundraising and joining studies to protect future athletes. This news keeps the conversation alive on football's long-term toll, pushing science forward so the next generation dodges these hidden hits. That wraps NFL news today, brought to you with AI.