Legendary Chicago Bears fullback and Super Bowl champion Matt Suhey has died at the age of 68.
The staple of the vaunted 80s Bears offense passed away in his sleep Saturday night over the Labor Day weekend. No cause of death has been given.
Suhey became a fan favorite in the Windy City, where he spent his entire 10-year NFL career. Suhey did it all for the Bears: run, catch, pass protection, even some passing. However, he was likely best remembered for his role as lead blocker for Bears legend Walter Payton.
The close relationship between Suhey and Payton didn’t end on the field. The two were the best of friends, and Payton even became the godfather of Suhey’s son, Scott.
“How can anybody compare to him?” Suhey said of Payton during the Bears’ famed 1985 season. ” Some may be faster, but nobody’s stronger or better at all facets of the game. ” It might be nice to carry the ball more and see my name in the stats. But if Walter scores a touchdown, and I make a good block, that’s the name of the game.
“He’s a very good friend of mine. I enjoy his personality. You never know what to expect. On the field, you’re always second to him. But he never makes you feel that way.”
Suhey’s Bears teammates reacted to their teammate’s passing with shock.
“I kind of remember Matt as a level-headed guy,” said safety Gary Fencik. “You could almost interpret how the offense felt by going through Matt. Just a real valuable teammate and one that, gosh, this was a real shock to all of us.”
Bears Hall of Fame defensive tackle Dan Hampton remembered Suhey fondly,
“I am shocked,” Hampton told The Daily Herald. “Quality of character, there was no one superior to Matt. He was truly a gentleman. He wasn’t like a bunch of the rest of us who were cutting up. He was, I don’t want to say more adult, but he was real responsible. He played around with Walter and everyone else, but he wasn’t a guy going out to the bar after the game. He was a businessman.”
Suhey joined the Bears as a second-round pick out of Penn State in 1980.
Along with his remarkable productivity on the field, Suhey also made his mark for durability, playing in every game for seven of the ten years of his career.
In all, Suhey totaled 2,946 rushing yards as well as 20 touchdowns on the ground. He also accounted for 260 receptions and 2,113 receiving yards.