Chicago Bears legend Steve McMichael is expected to return home TODAY after being hospitalized with a UTI and developing MRSA amid battle with ALS

Chicago Bears great Steve McMichael, who is battling ALS, is expected to return home Thursday after being hospitalized the past week, longtime publicist Betsy Shepherd said.

The 66-year-old McMichael went public with his ALS diagnosis three years ago. He was admitted into intensive care at a suburban hospital last Thursday with a urinary tract infection.

The family announced Saturday he had developed MRSA, a staph infection that can be difficult to treat because it is resistant to certain antibiotics, and was undergoing a blood transfusion.

On Tuesday, McMichael’s family released a statement and provided an update on his recovery. His wife, Misty McMichael, praised his toughness while asking for continuous prayers.

‘He’s one tough guy,’ Misty said. ‘He’s Mongo and his DNA is different! Keep those prayers coming! Thank you!’ 

 McMichael was admitted to intensive care over the weekend with a UTI and staph infection

McMichael was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is set to be inducted on August 3

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´ all-time sacks list with 92 1/2. His final season was with Green Bay in 1994.

Whether he was terrorizing opponents or discussing the Bears on sports talk radio, the man known as “Ming The Merciless” and “Mongo” after the character in “Blazing Saddles” who knocked out a horse, remained a prominent presence in Chicago long after his playing days ended. He also spent five years in professional wrestling in the late 1990s. 

Over the weekend, McMichael’s family revealed he started responding well to antibiotics for his UTI, writing in a statement via NBC’s Mike Berman: ‘He is also undergoing a procedure known as thoracentesis to remove fluid from his lungs. 

‘Steve is expected to be released from the hospital in the coming days. Continued prayers are appreciated.’

McMichael got hospitalized shortly after he was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Joining him in his class are former Bears Julius Peppers and Devin Hester. They are scheduled to be inducted on August 3.