The Chicago Bears have lost another member of their iconic 1985 Super Bowl team. Matt Suhey, the longtime fullback and one of the most trusted teammates on that roster, has died at 68.
Suhey’s place in Bears history goes well beyond a stat line. He was the kind of player who helped make the whole machine work, clearing space for Walter Payton and setting a tone that matched the identity of that championship group. His blocking was a big part of why that 1985 team was so hard to handle.
A cause of death has not been publicly disclosed by those close to the family.
Suhey spent all 10 of his NFL seasons with Chicago, from 1980 to 1989. Before reaching the pros, he built his reputation at Penn State, where he played from 1976 to 1979 and totaled 2,818 rushing yards with 26 touchdowns. That production earned him a second-round selection by the Bears in the 1980 NFL Draft.
He was more than just a blocker, too. Suhey finished his career with 2,946 rushing yards, 2,113 receiving yards and 25 total touchdowns. He also appeared in 148 games and never missed a regular-season game over seven of his 10 seasons.
His biggest moment came in Super Bowl XX, when the Bears advanced to the title game and Suhey scored the first touchdown of the night on an 11-yard run. For a player known for doing the dirty work, that score gave him a permanent spot in franchise history.
Suhey is another name now added to the list of players from that 1985 team who have died, along with DT Steve McMichael and running back Walter Payton.
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