The Chicago Bears family is mourning the loss of a true legend. Matt Suhey, member of the Super Bowl-winning '85 Bears and lead blocker for Walter Payton, dies at 68, leaving behind a legacy that transcends the stat sheet. The rugged fullback who cleared the path for the greatest running back in NFL history passed away on September 6, 2026. The team confirmed the heartbreaking news, releasing an official statement praising Suhey as “a beloved member of the Bears family” and a “devastating blocker.” His death was confirmed by the Suhey family through the Bears organization, though no cause has been publicly released. For fans of the ’85 Bears, this one hits deep.
More Than a Fullback: The Quiet Engine of the ‘85 Bears
Walter Payton owned the headlines. But the man leading the way? That was Suhey. Drafted in 1980, Suhey spent his entire 11-year career in Chicago, piling up 4,253 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns on the ground. He added another 238 catches for 2,296 yards and 11 scores through the air. Yet numbers never captured his full story. Suhey was the ultimate selfless soldier - a punishing lead blocker who took genuine pride in watching "Sweetness" hit the hole. His durability was otherworldly. He never missed a single game across his final seven seasons.
His role on the 1985 Super Bowl XX championship team was undeniable. Suhey holds a unique piece of trivia that cements his place in franchise lore - he is the only player from that legendary squad to score a touchdown in the NFC Championship Game against the Rams and then again in the Super Bowl itself. That 25-yard dash in the Super Bowl, the final touchdown of a 46-10 beatdown, remains a permanent highlight reel for Bears fans across generations.
📊 Only player from the '85 Bears to score in both the NFC Championship and Super Bowl XX - Suhey's 25-yard run capped off the franchise's most iconic victory.
A quick note for the younger generation scrolling through the archives: some early tributes are incorrectly recirculating a myth that Suhey helped Payton set the single-game rushing record of 275 yards back in 1977. That’s factually inaccurate - Suhey wasn’t on that roster. But he was the lead blocker for Payton’s incredible 1984 season, when Payton claimed the NFL rushing title and broke Jim Brown’s all-time rushing touchdown record. As confirmed in today's tributes, that is the legacy that truly matters.
| Category | Total |
|---|---|
| Rushing Attempts | 1,130 |
| Rushing Yards | 4,253 |
| Rushing Touchdowns | 24 |
| Receptions | 238 |
| Receiving Yards | 2,296 |
| Receiving Touchdowns | 11 |
| Games Played (Final 7 Seasons) | 112 (No Missed Games) |
A Legacy of Family, Football, and the Radio Booth
Matt Suhey was born into football royalty. His father, Steve Suhey, was a College Football Hall of Fame guard at Penn State in the 1940s. Matt carried that Nittany Lion pride to the NFL, and his son Joe followed the exact same path, playing fullback at Penn State from 2008 to 2011. The Suhey name is synonymous with blue-collar toughness, both in State College and in the gritty streets of Chicago. Current reports confirm he is survived by his wife Nancy and their three children.
After hanging up his cleats in 1990, Suhey didn’t drift far from the game he loved. He became the color analyst for Bears radio broadcasts from 1991 to 1996, giving fans a gritty, insider’s perspective on the team he bled for. Off the microphone, he built a second successful career as a long-time investment advisor in the Chicago area. In 2023, his lifelong contributions were immortalized with an induction into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame.
The Bears are expected to honor Suhey with a moment of silence at their next home game on September 13, 2026, when they host the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. Expect an incredibly emotional afternoon on the lakefront.
