Steve McMichael, also known as “Mongo,” “Ming,” and “Ming the Merciless,” is a retired American athlete who played both football and professional wrestling. He spent 15 seasons as a defensive tackle in the NFL, mostly with the Chicago Bears. Before that, he played college football for the Texas Longhorns and was drafted by the New England Patriots in 1980.
Early Life
Stephen Douglas McMichael was born in Houston, Texas on October 17, 1957. After his parents’ separation before his second birthday, his mother married E.V. McMichael, an oil company executive, and Stephen took on his stepfather’s surname. He also has three siblings: an older brother named John Richard, and two younger sisters named Kathy and Sharon.
The family relocated to Freer, where he enrolled in Freer High School. During his final year, he earned recognition in six different sports: football, basketball, baseball, track, tennis, and golf.
Although he excelled in all of these activities, his favorite was baseball. As a catcher, he achieved an impressive batting average of .450, catching the eye of both the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds.
College Football
After impressing on his high school football team, Steve McMichael received scholarship offers from 75 different schools. Ultimately, he chose to enroll at the University of Texas at Austin.
During his time there, from 1976 to 1979, he played as a defensive tackle for the Texas Longhorns football team. However, his first year was overshadowed by the passing of his stepfather.
During his final year of college, he received widespread recognition as a first-team All-American and was named the defensive MVP at the 1979 Hula Bowl. He also earned accolades as an All-Southwest Conference pick in both 1978 and 1979 and was recognized as the team’s MVP in 1979 while also serving as the backup placekicker in 1977.
His contributions to the University of Texas were further honored in 1999 when he was inducted into the Longhorn Hall of Honor. Nearly a decade later, on July 17, 2010, he was officially inducted into the prestigious College Football Hall of Fame.
Steve McMichael’s Pro-Football Career
Drafted by the Patriots in 1980, Steve McMichael was cut before his second season. The Bears signed him in 1981. He became a starting defensive tackle and helped them win the Super Bowl in 1985.
He started 101 consecutive games until 1990 when his playing time was reduced. McMichael led the Bears with 11.5 sacks in 1988 and had 108 tackles in 1989. He made the NFC’s Pro Bowl team in 1986 and 1987.
Steve McMichael became famous in a 1991 game against the New York Jets. The Bears were losing 13-6 with less than 2 minutes left. He forced a fumble and recovered it at the New York 36. Quarterback Jim Harbaugh then threw a touchdown to tie the game with 18 seconds left.
The Bears won in overtime when Harbaugh scored a touchdown. Bears coach Mike Ditka said in 2005 that Steve McMichael was the toughest player he had ever coached. He played with the Green Bay Packers in 1994 before retiring. He had the nicknames “Mongo” and “Ming the Merciless”, or just “Ming”.
In August 2023, he became a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Seniors ballot for 2024. He’d been nominated before in 2014 and 2015. On February 8, 2024, McMichael was officially chosen for the Hall of Fame.
Wrestling Career
After ending his NFL career, Steve McMichael appeared at ringside in the WWF for Lawrence Taylor at WrestleMania XI in Hartford, Connecticut on April 2, 1995. Taylor wrestled Bam Bam Bigelow with football players at ringside to prevent interference.
During Monday Night Raw on March 20, McMichael provided commentary with Vince McMahon and later brawled with Kama Mustafa. The fight caused chaos, knocking over the broadcast table. Taylor eventually won the match.
In April 1996, Ric Flair started flirting with Steve McMichael‘s wife, Debra, at WCW Monday Nitro. McMichael, with his partner Kevin Greene, challenged Flair and Arn Anderson to a match. Randy Savage trained McMichael, while Flair and Anderson chose Heenan as their coach.
At The Great American Bash, Debra and Greene’s wife were chased away by Flair’s valets. Debra returned with them, carrying a briefcase of money and a Four Horsemen T-shirt. McMichael accepted it and hit Greene with the briefcase. His first singles match was against Joe Gomez at Bash at the Beach.
McMichael made a comeback to professional wrestling at Bound For Glory, the main pay-per-view event for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He served as the referee for the Monster’s Ball Match, during which his counting pace was notably sluggish.
Personal Life
Steve McMichael tied the knot with Debra Marshall in 1985, but they parted ways in 1998. He then wed Misty Davenport on March 24, 2001, and their daughter, Macy Dale, arrived in 2008. However, on April 23, 2021, McMichael revealed that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
