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Steve McMichael's CTE Diagnosis Sparks ALS Awareness Campaign

4/8/2026

Summary

McMichael Raises CTE Awareness

Steve McMichael, a Chicago Bears Hall of Famer, was diagnosed posthumously with stage 3 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) a year after his death from ALS in April 2025.
His wife, Misty McMichael, seeks to raise awareness about the link between CTE and ALS, highlighting that NFL players are over four times more likely to develop ALS.
The Concussion & CTE Foundation will use McMichael's donated brain for research, as Dr. Ann McKee noted a strong connection between repetitive brain trauma and ALS, with about 6% of individuals with CTE also having ALS.

Summary

McMichael Advances CTE Research

Steve "Mongo" McMichael, a Chicago Bears legend, was diagnosed posthumously with stage 3 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) after dying from ALS in April 2025, and his brain donation aims to advance research.
His wife Misty McMichael aims to raise awareness of the ALS-CTE link, noting that NFL players face a significantly higher risk of ALS.
Dr. Ann McKee of Boston University notes the connection between repetitive brain trauma and ALS.

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McMichael Raises CTE Awareness

Steve McMichael, a Chicago Bears Hall of Famer, was diagnosed posthumously with stage 3 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) a year after his death from ALS in April 2025.
His wife, Misty McMichael, seeks to raise awareness about the link between CTE and ALS, highlighting that NFL players are over four times more likely to develop ALS.
The Concussion & CTE Foundation will use McMichael's donated brain for research, as Dr. Ann McKee noted a strong connection between repetitive brain trauma and ALS, with about 6% of individuals with CTE also having ALS.

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