Bears legend Steve McMichael, who has ALS, hospitalized due to sepsis and pneumonia

Former Chicago Bears great Steve McMichael was hospitalized Thursday due to sepsis and pneumonia, his wife Misty said in an Instagram post.

McMichael, 65, was admitted to the intensive care unit, per the post.

McMichael, who was nicknamed "Mongo" with the Bears, revealed in 2021 he was diagnosed with ALS that same year. At the time, McMichael said he lost 50-60 pounds and was no longer able to lift his arms over his head. His wife Misty has been one of McMichael's primary caretakers since his diagnosis.

McMichael's hospitalization comes days after he inched closer to possibly being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. McMichael was one of the 31 semifinalists considered by the Hall's seniors committee. That list of players was trimmed to 12 in late July, and McMichael made the cut.

The committee, a group of 12 people, will meet in August to determine three finalists who will be considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024. In order to be eligible for the senior committee, a player must have played their last NFL game no later than the 1998 season.

If McMichael is selected as a finalist, he will be on the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame ballot. He would need 80% support from the voters to be inducted.

McMichael spent 15 seasons in the NFL from 1980-94, and 13 of those came with the Bears. He made two All-Pro teams and helped lead the team to a Super Bowl title in the 1985 season. He ranks second in franchise history with 92.5 career sacks.

Known for his big personality, McMichael also starred away from the football field. He had brief stints as a wrestler and commentator with WWE and WCW. On top of that, he's the only person to be ejected from a Chicago Cubs game after singing during the seventh-inning stretch.