Matt Suhey, a fullback who helped Walter Payton and the Chicago Bears win the 1985 NFL championship, has died. He was 68.
The Bears confirmed Suhey died on Sunday morning. No other details were provided.
Suhey played for Chicago for 10 seasons after he was selected by the Bears in the second round of the 1980 draft. He helped clear the way for Payton to become the NFL’s career leading rusher, a record Payton held until Emmitt Smith surpassed his total on Oct. 27, 2002.
Suhey and Payton were close friends. Payton served as the godfather for Suhey’s youngest son, Scott.
“Matt watched my dad’s back, kind of like being a bodyguard or protector,” Walter’s son, Jarrett, said in “A Football Life,” an NFL Network show. “He blocked for him. He took a lot of hits, making sure that my dad would get the glory, and Matt kind of just sat back in the background, very unselfish.”
Suhey was Chicago’s second-leading rusher when the Bears went 15-1 during the 1985 regular season, finishing with 471 yards on the ground. Payton rushed for 1,551 yards and nine touchdowns that year.
The 1985 Bears shut out the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs before routing New England 46-10 in the Super Bowl. Suhey scored the first TD against the Patriots on an 11-yard run in the first quarter. He finished with 52 yards on 11 carries, and he also had a 24-yard reception.
The durable 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 TDs.
Suhey, a Pennsylvania native, played his college ball for Penn State, following in the footsteps of his father, Steve, a guard who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
Matt Suhey rushed for 2,818 yards and 26 touchdowns on 633 carries for the Nittany Lions. He also caught 39 passes for 328 yards and two TDs.
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