Bears great McMichael treated for UTI at hospital

CHICAGO — Chicago Bears great Steve McMichael, who’s battling ALS, was taken to a hospital Wednesday because of a urinary tract infection, publicist Betsy Shepherd said.

Shepherd said he was being prescribed an antibiotic and was to return home that night. “(Wife) Misty McMichael and family thanks everyone for the prayers and concern,” she said.

The 66-year-old McMichael went public with an ALS diagnosis three years ago. He spent more than a week at a suburban hospital after being admitted into intensive care on Feb. 15 with a urinary tract infection. He was hospitalized one week after being voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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.

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 1981-1993 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, McMichael remained a prominent presence in Chicago long after his playing days ended. He also spent five years in professional wrestling in the late 1990s.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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