Steve McMichael presented with Pro Football Hall of Fame jacket, bust at Illinois home

Steve McMichael is officially a Hall of Famer. The Texas and Chicago Bears legend was officially enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton on Saturday, with Jarrett Payton – son of Walter Payton – presenting him.

In a break from tradition, though, McMichael’s bust and gold jacket weren’t in Canton. Instead, they were at his Illinois home. That’s where “Mongo,” his family and members of the vaunted 1985 Bears defense celebrated the moment he waited so long to see.

The emotions flowed during the presentation. McMichael’s battle with ALS has taken its toll. Diagnosed in 2021, he has lost his ability to speak and remains in a hospital bed. His wife, Misty, attended Friday’s gold jacket ceremony in Canton and returned home to Homer Glen, Ill., where she – along with Hall of Fame teammates Richard Dent, Jimbo Covert and Mike Singletary – unveiled his bust.

"That's you baby, forever."

Steve McMichael, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2021, is officially inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame surrounded by loved ones ❤️ pic.twitter.com/9cDqUmhyiZ

— ESPN (@espn) August 3, 2024

After the presentation, McMichael’s sister, Kathy, revealed Steve had been working on a speech before he lost his ability to speak. She read it, and it featured shoutouts to fans in Chicago and his beloved alma mater in Austin.

“Hey Chicago, Bears fans and Mongo fans,” the speech started. “Woohoo, I’m in the Hall of Fame, baby. I want to thank the Hall of Fame, the Senior Selection Committee, the Chicago Bears and all the fans – the best fans in the world in the best city to play football in. I played 15 seasons in the NFL and loved every minute of every down. I played with the greatest players in the NFL and the greatest defense to this day, baby. I want to thank all of my teammates. It’s an honor to join my teammates Walter Payton, Richard Dent, Mike Singletary, Dan Hampton, Jimbo Covert, Coach Ditka, Coach Ryan and all the Bears before us. I’d like to say a special thank you to my pseudo-son, Jarrett Payton, for introducing me.

“I want to thank my family. My father Mac, my brother Richard, my sisters Sharon and Katherine Denise. To my wife Misty, thank you for giving me my beautiful daughter Macy. And to Macy, you’ll always be my little girl. Daddy loves you. And finally, to my mother – we made it, Mama. Your baby made it. Bear Down and Hook ‘Em.”

More on Steve McMichael’s Hall of Fame career

McMichael spent the majority of his career in Chicago, playing for the Bears from 1981-93. He earned two first team All-Pro and three second team All-Pro selections as he totaled 95 sacks over his career. But he made his mark alongside on arguably the greatest defense in NFL history.

During the 1985 season, McMichael finished third on the Bears with 8.0 sacks that season, trailing Dent’s 17.0 and Wilson’s 10.5. He also added 44 total tackles. Chicago went 15-1 that season to win the only Super Bowl in franchise history.

Following his final season with the Green Bay Packers in 1994, McMichael retired from professional football. Then, he embarked on a wrestling career. He also hosted a Bears pregame show on ESPN 1000 and served as the head coach of the Chicago Slaughter indoor football team from 2007-13.

Of course, he also delivered a memorable performance of the 7th Inning Stretch at a Chicago Cubs game in 2001. McMichael famously called out umpire Angel Hernandez, who ejected him as a result.