NFL: Who Was Matt Suhey? Chicago Bears 1985 Super Bowl Champion Dies at 68, NFL Career, Walter Payton Connection, Net Worth And More

Former Chicago Bears fullback Matt Suhey, a key member of the team’s iconic 1985 Super Bowl-winning squad, has died at the age of 68, according to reports. Suhey spent his entire 10-year NFL career with the Bears from 1980 through 1989 after being selected in the second round of the 1980 NFL Draft. He quickly became a popular figure among Chicago fans and played an important role in the team’s historic championship run.

Matt Suhey was a longtime Chicago Bears fullback who spent his entire 10-year NFL career with the franchise from 1980 to 1989. Best known as Walter Payton’s lead blocker and close friend, Suhey played a crucial supporting role during the Bears’ dominant 1985 season and scored the opening touchdown in Super Bowl XX. He died on September 6, 2026, at the age of 68, leaving behind a legacy closely tied to one of the most celebrated teams in NFL history.

Born on July 7, 1958, in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, Suhey grew up in a family deeply connected to Penn State football. His maternal grandfather, Bob Higgins, was an All-American player and later coached the Nittany Lions, while his father, Steve Suhey, was an All-American guard who eventually entered the College Football Hall of Fame. Matt and his brothers, Paul and Larry, continued that family tradition by playing for Penn State. At State College Area High School, Matt established himself as an outstanding all-around athlete and was eventually named to the Pennsylvania Football All-Century Team.

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Suhey remained close to home for college, playing under legendary coach Joe Paterno at Penn State from 1976 to 1979. He initially made his impact as a running back, finishing his collegiate career with 2,818 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns, along with 328 receiving yards and two receiving scores. He also contributed as a punt returner and showed the physical, team-first style that would later define his NFL career. The Chicago Bears selected him 46th overall in the second round of the 1980 NFL Draft, beginning his transition from running back to fullback and eventually making him an important piece of Chicago’s championship era.

Matt Suhey’s NFL career was built around doing the work that often went unnoticed. After the Chicago Bears selected him in the second round of the 1980 NFL Draft, he embraced the role of a blocking fullback and became an important part of Walter Payton’s success. Suhey played 10 seasons in Chicago from 1980 to 1989 and was part of five straight playoff teams from 1984 through 1988, earning recognition as one of the 100 Greatest Bears of All Time.

His biggest moment came in Super Bowl XX against the New England Patriots in January 1986. With the Patriots heavily focused on Payton, Suhey broke through for an 11-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to score the game’s opening points. He finished the championship game with 11 carries for 52 yards and added a 24-yard reception as Chicago cruised to a 46-10 victory. Over his NFL career, Suhey appeared in 148 of 152 possible games, recording 2,946 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns, while adding 260 receptions for 2,113 receiving yards and five receiving scores.

Suhey’s importance to the Bears extended well beyond his statistics. He spent eight seasons blocking for Payton and helped the Hall of Fame running back reach 100 rushing yards in six of those seasons. Their friendship remained strong after football, with Suhey later serving as executor of Payton’s estate following his death in 1999. His reputation among fellow players was equally strong, and in 2021, Hall of Fame offensive lineman Jimbo Covert selected Suhey as his presenter for his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction.

Matt Suhey’s net worth was estimated at around $6 million at the time of his death in September 2026. Although his 10-year NFL career with the Chicago Bears provided a strong financial foundation, much of his wealth was reportedly built after football through a successful business career. His earnings from the 1980s, when his annual salary reportedly reached about $1.2 million, gave him a solid base for his ventures beyond the field.

After retiring from the NFL, Suhey moved into the financial world and spent years trading soybean meal futures at the Chicago Board of Trade, maintaining a demanding work routine that began early in the morning and stretched into the evening. He also broadened his business interests through ownership of a bottled water company, real estate investments and various corporate consulting and executive roles, helping him build a substantial fortune long after his playing career ended.