Matt Suhey, the fullback who helped Walter Payton and the Chicago Bears win the 1985 NFL championship, has died. He was 68. The Bears confirmed Suhey died on Sunday morning, with no other details provided, according to multiple reports.
Suhey played for Chicago for 10 seasons after being selected in the second round of the 1980 NFL Draft out of Penn State. He spent his entire professional career with the Bears, retiring in 1989. During that time, he helped clear the way for Payton to become the NFL's career leading rusher, a record Payton held until Emmitt Smith surpassed his total on Oct. 27, 2002.
A Bond Beyond Football
Suhey and Payton were close friends, a relationship that extended beyond the field. Payton served as the godfather for Suhey's youngest son, Scott. After Payton's death in 1999, Suhey became a significant figure in the Payton family's life.
"Matt watched my dad's back, kind of like being a bodyguard or protector," Walter's son, Jarrett, said in "A Football Life," an NFL Network show, as reported by the Associated Press. Jarrett Payton also posted on social media on Monday, saying that after losing his dad, "Matt became the biggest father figure I had."
Connie Payton, Walter's wife, echoed a similar sentiment in a 2010 interview with ESPN's Melissa Isaacson, describing their bond as "sort of like husband and wife where you just know what the other one's thinking."
Tom Thayer, a former Bears offensive lineman who played alongside Payton and Suhey, also spoke about their relationship on ESPN 1000. He said that their connection was one fit for the big screen, noting that without Suhey's role as "an obnoxious Penn Stater," they could talk about anything.
Career Highlights and Legacy
Suhey was a key contributor to the Bears' 1985 Super Bowl XX championship team, which finished the regular season 15-1. He was Chicago's second-leading rusher that season with 471 yards and scored his only career postseason touchdown in the Super Bowl, an 11-yard run in the 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots.
During his career, Suhey played in 148 regular-season games, starting 100 of them. He was known for his durability, playing in every game in seven of his ten NFL seasons. At Penn State, he caught 39 passes for 328 yards and two touchdowns and was a starter in the Nittany Lions' Fiesta Bowl win over Arizona State.
Suhey was born on July 7, 1958, in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. His father, Steve, was a guard inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1985. After his playing days, Suhey served as the executor of Payton's estate. Former teammates lauded his selflessness and quality of character, both on and off the field.
In a lighter anecdote from training camp, Suhey reportedly had a separate dorm room for his computer setup so he could manage his stocks, a detail shared by one source and illustrating his diverse interests beyond football.