Remembering Bears Legend Matt Suhey
Former Chicago Bears Fullback and Super Bowl Champion Matt Suhey Dies at 68
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Key Points
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Suhey appeared in 157 games and started 109 during his 10-season career, underscoring his durability; another account noted he played in 148 of a possible 152 games over part of that span.
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The Bears made the playoffs in five consecutive seasons from 1984 through 1988, a key part of the team’s sustained success during Suhey’s tenure.
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Suhey was an unusually productive receiving fullback for his era: his 260 career receptions rank among the top 10 all time at the position, according to Sports Mockery.
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Suhey’s relationship with Payton extended through the running back’s final illness. Former Sun-Times columnist Rick Telander wrote that Suhey was there to comfort Payton and shield him from an intense media presence as Payton was dying of liver cancer.
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Payton’s wife, Connie, described the pair’s on-field understanding as being “sort of like husband and wife where you just know what the other one’s thinking,” and said that their trust made their chemistry easier.
Matt Suhey, the Chicago Bears fullback who anchored the team's dominant 1980s dynasty, has died at 68 according to NBC Sports. Suhey spent his entire 10-year NFL career with Chicago after being drafted in 1980, serving as Walter Payton's lead blocker and scoring the opening touchdown of Super Bowl XX on an 11-yard run as the Bears defeated New England 46-10.
The durable fullback appeared in 157 games and started 109 during his career, finishing with 2,946 rushing yards, 20 rushing touchdowns, and 260 receptions. Yahoo Sports notes Suhey was a second-round pick from Penn State whose unselfishness and close friendship with Payton made him a cornerstone of Chicago's success. No cause of death was reported.
A Fullback Built for the Payton Era
Suhey's role was unglamorous but vital: clearing paths for one of football's greatest runners. His 260 career receptions rank among the top 10 all-time for fullbacks, making him unusually productive as a receiver for his era. iHeart reported Suhey's durability was remarkable—he played in 148 of a possible 152 games over one stretch, missing almost no time due to injury.
Payton's wife, Connie, described their on-field understanding as being "sort of like husband and wife where you just know what the other one's thinking." That trust made their chemistry effortless. The pair's connection extended beyond football into Payton's final days.
Five Straight Playoff Seasons in the 1980s
The Bears made the playoffs in five consecutive seasons from 1984 through 1988, a stretch that defined the franchise's era of excellence. Suhey was central to that run, blocking for Payton and contributing as both runner and receiver in games that mattered most.
His Super Bowl XX performance capped his best season. That opening touchdown—a short 11-yard run—set the tone for Chicago's dominant 46-10 victory and secured the franchise's first championship in nearly four decades.
Suhey's Devotion During Payton's Final Days
Suhey's relationship with Payton transcended the football field. Former Sun-Times columnist Rick Telander wrote that Suhey was there to comfort Payton as he battled liver cancer, shielding his friend from the intense media presence surrounding his decline.
That act of loyalty reflected Suhey's character: the same unselfishness that made him excel as a lead blocker defined his friendship with the man he spent his career protecting.
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