Bears legend Steve McMichael diagnosed with CTE one year after ALS death

Steve McMichael, Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Chicago Bears defensive tackle, has been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the Concussion & CTE Foundation said.

Boston University CTE Center researchers made the diagnosis, identifying the disease was in stage 3 (of 4). The news came April 7, nearly one year after McMichael's passing. He passed away on April 23, 2025 at the age of 67 following a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

CTE cannot be diagnosed until after a person's death, with a neuropathological autopsy necessary to evaluate the deceased's brain for signs of extensive damage correlated with the disease.

McMichael's wife, Misty, hopes that the decision to share the diagnosis helps bring attention to the issue.

By sharing Steve's diagnosis, we want to raise awareness of the clear connection between CTE and ALS," Misty McMichael said in a statement from the Concussion and CTE Foundation. Too many NFL players are developing ALS during life and diagnosed with CTE after death. I donated Steve's brain to inspire new research into the link between them."

A 2021 study found that NFL players are more than four times more likely to develop ALS compared to other men, according to the statement. The study was conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School and the Boston University CTE Center.

The findings listed Kevin Turner, Steve Smith, Wally Hilgenberg, Pete Duranko and Eric Scoggins among former NFL players who died of ALS and had their brains studied at Boston University.

There is strong evidence linking repetitive brain trauma and ALS; in our CTE brain bank, about 6% of individuals with CTE also have ALS," Dr. Ann McKee, director of the Boston University CTE Center, said.

McMichael, who played 15 NFL seasons and 13 with Chicago as a key member of the legendary 1985 Bears defense, pledged to donate his brain for research, according to Dr. Chris Nowinski, co-founder and CEO of the Concussion & CTE Foundation. He finished his career as a two-time All-Pro, two-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion. McMichael played in 213 games, 191 of them with the Bears, finishing with 95 sacks, 847 total tackles, 10 forced fumbles, 17 fumble recoveries and two interceptions before going on to have a career in professional wrestling.

He revealed his ALS diagnosis in 2021 and was later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024.

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 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."

What is CTE?

CTE, which stands for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, is a degenerative brain disease that destroys nerve cells in the brain, according to theMayo Clinic.

The condition is rare and can only be diagnosed during an autopsy. It is not caused by a singular head injury, but rather repeated head injuries that typically occur in contact sports or military combat. That makes the disease more common among boxers, football players and military veterans.

Since the disease can't be confirmed until after death, it is unclear how common CTE amongst athletes and others who are at risk.

CTE symptoms

There are no specific symptoms linked to CTE that can be identified solely as a result of the disease. According to the clinic, many of the symptoms can also be linked to other conditions.

In patients diagnosed with CTE after autopsy, symptoms have included cognitive, behavioral, mood and movement changes. However, these symptoms don't present right away. Experts believe they take years or decades to develop after repeated head trauma.

Here's the list of those symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic:

Cognitive impairment

• Trouble thinking.
• Memory loss.
• Problems with planning, organizing and carrying out tasks.

Behavioral changes

• Impulsive behavior.
• Aggression.

Mood changes

• Depression or apathy.
• Emotional instability.
• Substance misuse.
• Suicidal thoughts or behavior.

Movement symptoms

• Trouble with walking and with balance.
• Shaking, slow movement and trouble with speech, known as parkinsonism.
• Gradual loss of control of movements, such as walking, speaking, swallowing and breathing, known as motor neuron disease.

Is there a cure for CTE?

There is currently no cure for CTE.

Notable NFL players diagnosed with CTELinebackerJovan Belcher

Belcher played for the Chiefs for three full seasons and played in 11 more games for Kansas City in a fourth season before he killed his girlfriend, then himself, in December 2012. ESPN reported in 2014 that a medical examiner determined Belcher's brain had signs of CTE.

Defensive backIrv Cross

Cross was a two-time Pro Bowler who played in the NFL for nine years. In his rookie season, Cross earned the nickname "Paper Head" for the sheer number of concussions he suffered in the 1961 season alone, according to a 2018 interview he had with the Philadelphia Inquirer. Cross went on to become the first Black sports analyst on national TV after his career.

He was diagnosed with a form of dementia shortly before his death, which he believed could be attributed to CTE. He donated his brain to the Boston University CTE center, where it became one of the 345 from former NFL players diagnosed with the disease.

Offensive linemanConrad Dobler

Dobler played 10 years in the NFL and appeared in the Pro Bowl for three consecutive years from 1975 to 1977. After he died in February 2023, he donated his brain to Boston University, where he was posthumously diagnosed with CTE.

Wide receiver Chris Henry

Henry played for the Cincinnati Bengals for five years - between 2005 and 2009 - before his death in December 2009. The wideout fell out of the back of a moving truck during a domestic dispute and a hit to his head led to his death. Six months later, the Brain Injury Research Institute of West Virginia announced Henry had developed CTE prior to his death.

Tight endAaron Hernandez

Hernandez played three years for the Patriots starting in 2010. Four years after he was imprisoned for the murder of Odin Lloyd, Hernandez died by suicide in his cell. After his death, Boston University diagnosed the former tight end with CTE. A Hernandez family lawyer said while announcing his diagnosis that the case of CTE was "the most severe case they had ever seen in someone of Aaron's age."

Wide receiverVincent Jackson

A former second-round pick by the then-San Diego Chargers in 2005, Jackson played 12 years in the NFL and made three Pro Bowls by the time he retired in 2016. He died in 2021, aged 38, from chronic alcohol use, according to a medical examiner and was diagnosed with CTE by Boston University's CTE Center.

Offensive linemanTerry Long

Long played his entire eight-year career for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2005, 14 years after his final season, he died by suicide by drinking antifreeze shortly after an indictment for arson and fraud charges. His autopsy, performed by neuropathologist and CTE discoverer Bennet Omalu, revealed that he had the degenerative brain disease.

LinebackerJunior Seau

Seau's career spanned nearly three decades - from 1990 to 2009 - and was marked by numerous accolades, including first-team All-Pro recognition six times, 12 consecutive Pro Bowl seasons and a Walter Payton Man of the Year award. His 20-year career included two Super Bowl appearances: one with the Chargers in Super Bowl 29 and another with the Patriots in Super Bowl 42.

Seau did by suicide in 2012, and his family donated his brain tissue to the NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. A year later, they revealed the NIH had found signs of CTE.

The linebacker was posthumously enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.

Wide receiverDemaryius Thomas

By the end of Thomas's nine years with the Denver Broncos, he had risen to second in all-time receiving yards in the team's history. He won a Super Bowl with Denver after the 2015 season and played four more years that included brief tenures with the Houston Texans and New York Jets. He died in December 2021 from what police called a "medical issue" that stemmed from a 2019 car crash. His brain tested positive for signs of CTE after its donation to Boston University.

Tight endFrank Wycheck

Wycheck was an 11-year NFL veteran who earned three Pro Bowl nods during his career and is a member of the Titans/Oilers Ring of Honor. He was the Titans' leading receiver for three years (1999-2001) and was the player who threw the famous lateral pass in the "Music City Miracle" play that led Tennessee to a playoff win over the Buffalo Bills. Wycheck died in 2023 after falling and hitting his head. In January 2025, ESPN reported that his family confirmed Wycheck had been diagnosed with CTE after his death.

USA TODAY's Jack McKessy contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is CTE? Steve McMichael latest former NFL player to be diagnosed