Steve McMichael Closer to Canton

The former Bears great who is afflicted with ALS has been named one of 12 semfinalists for consideration by senior electors for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Steve McMichael is as close to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as he's ever been.

It's almost too much for Bears fans and fans of football in general to hope for, as the former Chicago defensive tackle has a chance to be among a possible group of three senior finalists named when electors meet Aug. 22. 

After finalists are decided, they must then be named on 80% of the final ballots to be enshrined in 2024. All the players voted on by the senior electors must have played no later than 1998. McMichael's final season was 1994.

Since spring of 2021, McMichael has been battling the crippling illness ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease, with the help of his family, former teammates and friends.

A Hall of Fame announcement would send shock waves through Bears nation, and even in other areas like pro wrestling, where McMichael was well known for his post-football career. He has been a beloved character in Chicago through his work in radio, as well.

McMichael faces very steep competition from 49ers running back Roger Craig, former MVP and Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson and 1978 defensive player of the year Randy Gradishar from Denver. Also among the semifinalists are Maxie Baughan, Otis Taylor, Art Powell, Joe Jacoby, Albert Lewis, Eddie Meador, Sterling Sharpe and Al Wistert.

Anderson, Baughan, Gradishar, Meador and Sharpe were among the semifinalists a year ago when Chuck Howley Joe Klecko and Ken Riley were named as finalists. 

The good news for those hoping McMichael makes it is all three of those finalists were named on 80% or more of ballots a year ago, so being a finalist carries along a very strong chance of enshrinement.

McMichael, known as "Mongo" or "Ming the Merciless," had one of the more bombastic personalities of any player who wore a Bears uniform, and it suited him well in pro wrestling. 

He played 15 years, including 13 with the Bears, and is second all time in Bears sacks with 92 1/2 behind Richard Dent. He had 95 for his career, including 2 1/2 during his final season playing for Green Bay in 1994.

McMichael twice made the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro.

He would be the fourth member of the 1985 defense to make it to Canton. Mike Singletary, Dan Hampton and Dent are the three who have been enshrined.

What McMichael's sack stats don't say for him are how effective he was against the run.

McMichael, Hampton and Singletary formed a sort of Bermuda triangle on the interior of the front. When the three were on the field healthy, it seemed no one could ever run on the Bears whether they had Buddy Ryan as defensive coordinator from 1982-85 or the late Vince Tobin from 1986-88. 

They ranked first against the run in 1984, 1985, 1987 and 1988 and were second in 1986.

The Bears have more people in the Pro Football Hall of Fame than any franchise, and this sometimes works against them when someone is up for vote. They have 32 who either played, coached or held administrative positions.

The determining factor could be the competition.

Timing can make such a difference, too.

Two years ago Bears defensive lineman Ed Sprinkle, from the two-way player era, made it into the Hall of Fame. The timing was right for Sprinkle because a special larger class was named for the league centennial.

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