Steve 'Mongo' McMichael Diagnosed With MRSA In Latest Health Battle
Pro Wrestling and NFL legend Steve 'Mongo' McMichael has been diagnosed with MRSA in the latest of several health battles.
On Twitter, Jarrett Payton, son of NFL icon Walter Payton and a former NFL star himself, gave an update on Mongo, who has been battling several issues.
In April 2021, McMichael was diagnosed with ALS, six months after former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle and broadcaster Tunch Ilkin, announced his own ALS diagnosis. The disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, results in the progress loss of neurons that control voluntary muscles. Earlier this week, McMichael was rushed to the emergency room with suspected pneumonia.
Mongo would first be introduced into wrestling in the build to WrestleMania 11, as he would be one of the NFL entourage backing Lawrence Taylor for his main event with Bam Bam Bigelow. That same year, he signed with WCW as a commentator, and earned the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's worst TV announcer award of 1996. Shortly after, he transitioned into an in-ring role the following year and captured the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship in 1997.
McMichael is also known for his NFL career, where he played for 15 seasons as a defensive tackle. He would be part of the Super Bowl XX-winning Chicago Bears and would also play for the New England Patriots and for the Green Bay Packers before his career ended in 1994. Earlier this month, it was announced that McMichael will take his much-deserved spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame later this year.
