bears matt suhey
bears matt suhey
Legendary Chicago Bears fullback Matt Suhey passed away on Monday at the age of 68. A member of the famed 1986 Super Bowl-winning Monsters of the Midway, Suhey played in 148 regular-season games during his 10 years with the Bears, starting 100. He had 828 carries for 2,946 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also had 260 receptions for 2,113 yards and five touchdowns.
Called ‘durable’ and ‘hard-hitting’ in his career, he was also multi-talented, often doing all the small things the perennial contenders needed from him to win. Because of that, he went from an unsung hero to a Windy City favorite, often lauded as a symbol of the city’s toughness. He certainly fit the mold of the blue-collar, bare-fisted working class that filled the stands at Soldier Field, as well as Bears legends like Dick Butkus, Mike Ditka, and Clyde Turner.
The Passing of Matt Suhey…40 Years After the Chicago Bears Shuffled to the Super Bowl
Known in his career as the lead blocker for NFL icon Walter Payton, he was also close friends with the Hall of Fame running back. The two eventually became like brothers, with Suhey assuming much of Payton’s responsibilities after ‘Sweetness’ passed away due to the effects of bile duct cancer. He was just 46 years old at the time of his death.
From there, Suhey shielded the family, much as he had the elder Payton’s back on the gridiron.
“After we lost my dad in 1999, Matt became the biggest father figure I had,” Walter’s son, Jarrett, posted on social media on Monday. “When everything felt uncertain, he was there. My dad left him in charge, and Matt never let that responsibility sit lightly. He protected our family. He looked after us. He made sure we were okay, year after year, without ever making it about himself… That’s just who he was.”
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Aug 7, 2021; Canton, Ohio, USA; Jimbo Covert, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Centennial Class, right, poses with his presenter Matt Suhey during the induction ceremony at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Mandatory Credit: Ron Schwane/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports
Despite being an offensive player, Suhey certainly fit in well with the Bears’ Shufflin’ Crew on defense. That legendary unit contained names like Richard Dent, Mike Singletary, Dan Hampton, and Steve ‘Mongo’ McMichael, but was literally a murderer’s row (pun intended) of pass rushers. That 1985 Chicago squad only lost one game all year – a Monday Night Football tilt against the Miami Dolphins – en route to winning Super Bowl XX.
In the contest, Chicago defeated New England 46-10. Suhey scored the first touchdown against the Patriots on an 11-yard run in the first quarter. It would be the only Super Bowl ring in his career and also (thus far) the only time in history that a Chicago Bears team would capture the Lombardi Trophy. Still, that one magical season lives forever… Today, that championship team is remembered by many longtime football fans as perhaps the greatest of all time.
One of the players in their stout secondary, safety Gary ‘Hitman’ Fencik, commented on Suhey and what he meant ot his teammates. The two had remained close in retirement.
“I remember Matt as a level-headed guy,” Fencik said. “You could almost interpret how the offense felt by going through Matt. Just a really valuable teammate, and one that, gosh, this was a real shock to all of us.”
Suhey played for Penn State University during his collegiate career, where he rushed for 2,818 yards and 26 touchdowns on 633 carries. He also caught 39 passes for 328 yards and two TDs for the Nittany Lions, as he continued his family’s football legacy. Both his father, Steve Suhey (player), and grandfather Bob Higgins (player/coach) are Penn State legends and members of the College Football Hall of Fame.
The Last Word
Chicago Bears legend Matt Suhey, a key member of the 1985 Super Bowl champions, passed away Monday at age 68. A durable, hard-hitting fullback, Suhey spent all 10 of his NFL seasons with Chicago, appearing in 148 games and becoming a vital, if often overlooked, piece of the franchise’s success.
Best known as Walter Payton’s lead blocker, Suhey developed a friendship with “Sweetness” that eventually became like family. After Payton died in 1999, Suhey helped protect and support the Hall of Famer’s family, becoming a father figure to Payton’s son, Jarrett. Suhey also scored Chicago’s first touchdown in its 46-10 Super Bowl XX victory over New England, forever cementing his place in Bears history.
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