CHICAGO — Bears great Steve McMichael is back home after spending more than a week in the hospital with several ailments, publicist Betsy Shepherd said Friday.
The 66-year-old McMichael, who went public with an ALS diagnosis three years ago, was admitted into intensive care at a suburban hospital Feb. 15 with a urinary tract infection. He was hospitalized one week after being voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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McMichael was also treated for pneumonia and MRSA — a staph infection that can be difficult to treat because it is resistant to certain antibiotics — during his stay, Shepherd said. He will have around-the-clock nursing care at home and receive IV antibiotics to treat his infections.
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“The outpouring of love, support and prayers have helped Steve get through this latest battle,” Shepherd said in a statement. “All he wanted was to get home to [wife] Misty and [daughter] Macy where he feels most comfortable.”
McMichael, who controlled the interior of the line for the Bears’ famed “46 defense,” was an All-Pro during the 1985 Super Bowl championship season and in 1987. He played in a franchise-record 191 consecutive games from 1981 to 1993 and ranks second to Hall of Famer Richard Dent on the Bears’ career sacks list with 92½. His final season was with Green Bay in 1994.
Whether he was harassing opponents or discussing the Bears on sports talk radio, the man known as “Ming The Merciless” and “Mongo” after the character in “Blazing Saddles” who knocked out a horse remained a prominent presence in Chicago long after his playing days ended. He also spent five years in professional wrestling in the late 1990s.
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Cowboys’ Mike McCarthy will not attend NFL scouting combine
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Emmitt Smith joins “Unsportsmanlike” and wonders if Cowboys were not prepared after “embarrassing” home playoff loss to the Packers. (2:00)
Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer
Feb 23, 2024, 03:29 PM ET
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FRISCO, Texas – Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy will not be at next week’s NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis as he and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer continue to set the staff and changes to the scheme.
McCarthy said the workload capacity and time efficiency made more sense for them to remain at The Star.
“Zim and I will have a full week together here and cover a lot of ground with things we’re working on,” McCarthy said. “At the same time, we can still participate in the combine process and have direct contact through video calls and meetings, while having our coaches on the ground there as well.”
Last year, McCarthy did not attend the combine because of changes he was making to the offensive scheme in his first year as the playcaller. He flew to Indianapolis for a few hours to meet the media, but then returned to The Star as he and the offensive coaches made the alterations that helped the Cowboys lead the league in scoring in 2023.
While McCarthy and Zimmer will not be at the combine, they will take part in interview sessions with players via computer. Tape of the workouts is available to keep them informed on the draft prospects.
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