Former Chicago Bears player Steve McMichael signs autographs before a ceremony for the unveiling of statues of Hall of Famers Walter Payton and George Halas outside of Gate 0 at Soldier Field, Tuesday morning, Sept. 3, 2019. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times
Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times
Steve McMichael was diagnosed with MRSA, a staph infection that can be resistant to certain antibiotics, while in a New Lenox hospital, his longtime publicist Betsy Shepherd said in a statement Saturday. His family was asking for prayers for the 66-year-old former Bears defensive lineman, who underwent a blood transfusion Saturday.
McMichael, who was diagnosed with ALS in January 2021, was rushed to the emergency room Thursday with what his wife Misty first feared was pneumonia. He was diagnosed instead with a urinary tract infection. He responded well to antibiotics to treat the UTI, Shepherd said Friday. He had a procedure to clear fluid from his lungs and was expected to leave the hospital in a manner of days. The diagnosis of MRSA, or methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, complicates that plan.
McMichael is just a week removed from being formally introduced as a member of the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. He was one of three players nominated by a Seniors Committee. McMichael, who played for the Bears from 1981-93, ranks second in franchise history in sacks and third in tackles