The city of Chicago and the Bears lost one of their beloved athletes from the ’85 Superbowl team in full back Matt Suhey. He passed away at 68 years of age.. The Bears have won only one Superbowl out of two appearances in their franchise history. That ’85 team will never be forgotten with that ferocious defense and the greatest running back in NFL history, Walter Payton. These days the full back position on the football field is a dying breed with all of the elite passing in each team’s offensive playbooks. Like your parents would refer to back in the day, the full back made the path for his running back. Clearing through the herd of defensive units to get his guy the best chances for a chunk of yards on each rush. Suhey was a pillar in the Bears back field for 10 seasons. He may be the best full back in Bears history or pretty close to it. He was one of Payton’s best friends on the gridiron and off the field. Payton passed away far too young at the age of 45 in 1999 in need of a liver transplant. So you know in the football heavens, these two friends will rekindle their relationship and perhaps get into a pick up game at the same time.
Matt Suhey was born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania in 1958. Many great football players have come from the state of Pennsylvania as they make them in the steel mills. Most of them are the toughest football players on the planet and have no fear. They play with heart as Suhey did as he played in his college ball at Penn State. In 1980 the Bears drafted Suhey in the second round 46th overall. Suhey has played in 148 NFL games with the Bears blocking for his best friend, Walter, most of the time. When Suhey took the rock and he did during his 10 year career all with the Bears, he was very productive all around full back. He had a career 828 rushes while tallying up 2,946 yards on the ground with 20 touchdowns. He also caught 260 balls for 2,113 receiving yards and hauled in 5 touchdown catches. One of his biggest highlights of his career was in the the Superbowl vs the New England Patriots. He scored the first touchdown of the game in the first quarter on an 11 yard run. The Bears blew up the Patriots in that Superbowl 46-10. In that game he finished with 52 yards on the ground with that touchdown. He did also have a 24 yard catch in that game. During regular season in 1985, the Bears went 15-1 that year. Suhey was the second in rushing yards that season with 471. Of course Walter once again led the team in rushing yards that year and every year they played together. In 9 career post-season games, Suhey had 43 rushes for 156 rushing yards and the one touchdown. He also racked up 13 catches for 96 passing yards. Full backs get many carries for short yard situations. To either get the first down or plow into the end zone on the goal line.
In 1984 Walter Payton broke Jim Brown’s all-time NFL rushing record. Which Matt Suhey helped his friend do being his blocker. Payton was one of the best backs as he followed the hole Suhey provided and did the rest making tacklers miss and then put his gear into over drive for plenty of big touchdown runs. It took a running back to surpass Payton’s record until 2002, which was done by Emmitt Smith in October of that year. Payton and Suhey off the field were family. Walter was a godfather of Matt’s youngest son Scott. When that dark day hit when Walter passed away in 1999, his son Jarrett has always said, “Matt became the biggest father figure I had.” As Suhey helped Payton’s family through the tough road ahead of them they faced when Walter passed away. The entire team of the ’85 Bears were family. None of these guys ever buy their own drinks because of what they accomplished on the field and off. They were a cocky bunch doing a music video they called the Superbowl Shuffle before they even made it that far into the post-season. The city of Chicago loved this team of misfits that produced multiple Hall of Famers including Steve McMichael who passed away in April of 2025. He did stay alive long enough to be enshrined in Canton.
Matt Suhey would pass away at his home in Deerfield, Illinois. Suhey set roots in the Chicagoland area because he fell in love with the city and the people. Like I said, everyone on that ’85 team was a big deal to the folks in the Windy City and in the burbs. He leaves behind a wife of 38 years, Donna, and three kids who have grown obviously. He had 7 grandchildren and at 68 years old, is far too young. I don’t care what anybody thinks. It’s too young. Suhey was a solid dude in life. Doing all the dirty things on the field that many players would not want to do. The full back position was not a glory position. You had to create holes by blocking for your tail back fighting off some of the baddest motherfuckers in the game. Especially in the 1980’s as nowadays the game has gone to two hand touch. Yes, once in while you get a bone, get the ball, and score a touchdown. That’s the life of a full back. You may not touch the ball for weeks. I think Suhey was the best full back in a Bears uniform that played that thankless position with the same team for his entire career. Staying with one team your entire career shows how this guy is a good dude. Throw in helping his friends family after watching one of his best friends not be able to get a donated liver. All these Bears had heart on that ’85 team. Because Walter being a celebrity did not buy a liver with all the money he made playing the game. He waited on the list like anybody would do. Praying and hoping. Matt obviously did well with his own family being married a long time. It’s a sad day for all the people in Chicago who were Suhey fans. We all have to believe ole number 26 is picking up where he left off with his old chum Walter Payton like a Brian’s Song Two.
The Wild shamrock 