CHICAGO — Matt Suhey, a former Chicago Bears fullback and Super Bowl XX champion, died at the age of 68. The Chicago Bears confirmed his death, while former teammates stated that he died in his sleep on Saturday night.

Suhey played his entire NFL career for the Chicago Bears after the team selected him in the second round of the 1980 NFL Draft with the 46th overall pick. He appeared in 157 NFL games and started 109 of them during a tenure that spanned 10 seasons from 1980 to 1989.

His professional statistics include 2,946 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns on 828 carries. Suhey also caught 260 passes for 2,113 yards and five receiving touchdowns over the course of his career.

A central figure in the Bears' offensive success, Suhey served as Walter Payton's lead blocker for eight seasons. During that period, the Chicago Bears led the NFL in rushing for four consecutive seasons from 1983 to 1986. The team also made five consecutive playoff appearances from 1984 through 1988.

Born on July 7, 1958, in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, Suhey attended State College Area High School before playing college football at Penn State from 1976 to 1979. His father, Steve Suhey, and grandfather, Bob Higgins, also played football for Penn State. Steve Suhey was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983.

During his college career at Penn State, Suhey rushed for 2,818 yards and 26 touchdowns. According to Pro Football Reference, he also caught 39 passes for 328 yards and two touchdowns. One notable performance included a game where the Penn State Nittany Lions defeated the Marshall Thundering Herd 45-0. Suhey was later named to the Pennsylvania Football All-Century Team, recognizing his contributions to Pennsylvania football history.

The Chicago Sun-Times ranked Matt Suhey No. 78 among the 100 greatest Bears in franchise history. In 2021, Jimbo Covert chose Suhey to be his presenter for his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction.

"He was kind of a mentor. I learned a lot from him about what it meant to be pro… And I think it's a way to have Walter [Payton] a part of it as well because they were so close, and I just feel it's appropriate to have them both with Matt as the lead," Covert said. Suhey was the executor of Walter Payton's estate following Payton's death in 2001, as noted in multiple biographical sources.

Why It Matters

Suhey came from a four-generation Penn State football family, which includes his son Joe Suhey, who played at Penn State from 2007–2011. His death marks the loss of a key contributor to one of the most dominant defensive and rushing teams in NFL history, linking the legacy of Walter Payton to the 1985 championship season.

Timeline

Matt Suhey was born on July 7, 1958, in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. The Chicago Bears selected Matt Suhey in the second round of the 1980 NFL Draft with the 46th overall pick on April 29, 1980. On January 26, 1986, the Chicago Bears defeated the New England Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX.

This victory was the Chicago Bears' first Super Bowl championship. On that same day, Matt Suhey scored the first touchdown of Super Bowl XX on an 11-yard run.

What's New

Additional context identifies that Suhey came from a four-generation Penn State football family, including his father Steve Suhey (College Football Hall of Fame guard) and grandfather Bob Higgins (player and coach), with his son Joe Suhey also playing at Penn State from 2007–2011.

Further details indicate that during his college career at Penn State (1976–1979), Suhey rushed for 2,818 yards and 26 touchdowns, while also catching 39 passes for 328 yards and two touchdowns, according to Pro Football Reference. The Chicago Bears' victory in Super Bowl XX ended a 23-year championship drought for the franchise and the city of Chicago, marking their first NFL championship since 1963. The Chicago Bears made five consecutive playoff appearances from 1984 through 1988.

Records show a final score of Penn State Nittany Lions 45, Marshall Thundering Herd 0. Suhey's father, Steve Suhey, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983, showing the family's long-standing legacy in collegiate football.

How Sources Differ

Penn State University athletic records state that Matt Suhey rushed for 2,818 yards and 26 touchdowns during his college career at Penn State, while NFL player records note that Matt Suhey caught 260 passes for 2,113 yards and five receiving touchdowns. Primary source and Matt Suhey's father, Steve Suhey, and grandfather, Bob Higgins, played football for Penn State, whereas Penn State University athletic records focus on Matt Suhey rushing for 2,818 yards and 26 touchdowns during his college career at Penn State.

1980 NFL Draft records state that the Chicago Bears selected Matt Suhey in the second round of the 1980 NFL Draft with the 46th overall pick, while the Chicago Sun-Times 100 Greatest Bears list ranked Matt Suhey No. 78 among the 100 greatest Bears in franchise history. Primary source and Matt Suhey attended State College Area High School, while Penn State University athletic records highlight that Matt Suhey rushed for 2,818 yards and 26 touchdowns during his college career at Penn State.

The Chicago Sun-Times 100 Greatest Bears list ranked Matt Suhey No. 78 among the 100 greatest Bears in franchise history, while the Chicago Bears official statement confirmed Matt Suhey's death. The Chicago Sun-Times 100 Greatest Bears list ranked Matt Suhey No. 78 among the 100 greatest Bears in franchise history, while NFL player records state that Matt Suhey played his entire NFL career for the Chicago Bears. Penn State University athletic records state that Matt Suhey rushed for 2,818 yards and 26 touchdowns during his college career at Penn State, while NFL player records state that Matt Suhey finished his NFL career with 2,946 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns on 828 carries.