Matt Suhey, Chicago Bears Super Bowl Champion, Dies at 68

The Chicago Bears lost another member of their iconic 1985 championship roster following the death of Matt Suhey. He was 68 years old.

Suhey spent his entire 10-year NFL career in Chicago after being selected as a second-round pick out of Penn State in 1980, specifically taken with the No. 46 pick by the Bears organization. Over 148 games, including 100 starts prior to his retirement following the 1989 season, he rushed for 2,946 yards and 20 touchdowns, while also catching 260 passes for 2,113 yards, including five touchdowns and 93 first downs over the course of his career.

Super Bowl Heroics and the 1985 Championship

While Suhey was best known for blocking for legendary running back Walter Payton, he delivered his own signature moment on the game’s biggest stage. During the Bears’ Super Bowl 20 rout of the New England Patriots, Suhey rushed for 52 yards and scored the game’s opening touchdown. That 46-10 runaway remains the only time the century-plus-old organization has hoisted the Lombardi Trophy.

In a twist of gridiron history, Payton did not score in the blowout victory—an admitted oversight by then-head coach Mike Ditka. Yet Suhey’s selfless play on the field was matched by his steady presence off of it, earning him a place among the 100 Greatest Bears of All Time.

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Teammate Dan Hampton remembered Suhey’s unique personality and steady reliability, noting he possessed a “wry” sense of humor and was very disciplined. Quality of character, there was no one superior to Matt. He was truly a gentleman. He wasn’t like a bunch of the rest of us who were cutting up, Hampton recalled, according to reporting by the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs. He was real responsible.

An Inseparable Bond With Walter Payton

Walter Payton and Matt Suhey were inseparable both on and off the gridiron. The duo led the Chicago Bears to hold the top spot in rushing for three straight seasons from 1984 to 1986. Their bond extended far beyond the gridiron. Payton, who retired in 1988 as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, served as the godfather to Suhey’s son, Scotty.

When Payton passed away in 1999 due to bile duct cancer, he entrusted Suhey as the executor of his estate.

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“He’s a very good friend of mine. I enjoy his personality. You never know what to expect. On the field, you’re always second to him. But he never makes you feel that way,”

Matt Suhey, via the Chicago Tribune

Jarrett Payton’s Emotional Tribute to “Uncle Matt”

Following Payton’s death, Suhey stepped into the lives of the Payton family as a dedicated protector and mentor, becoming the biggest father figure Jarrett Payton had when everything felt uncertain. Jarrett Payton shared an emotional tribute on social media recounting Suhey’s steadfast support.

“He was my dad’s closest friend,” Jarrett Payton, Walter’s son, posted to Instagram on Monday. “After we lost my dad in 1999, Matt became the biggest father figure I had. When everything felt uncertain, he was there. My dad left him in charge and Matt never let that responsibility sit lightly. He protected our family. He looked after us. He made sure we were okay, year after year, without ever making it about himself. That is who he was.”

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Jarrett Payton, via Instagram

Jarrett Payton further reflected on the depth of their enduring friendship, writing on X and Instagram that their bond showed what real friendship looks like—not the easy kind, but the kind that lasts when the lights go off, when the stadium is empty, and when life gets heavy, describing two men who trusted each other completely and became brothers. Jarrett expressed belief that his dad was standing there waiting for Matt the second he got to heaven for the reunion they both deserved. Suhey also maintained active ties to his former teammates later in life, famously presenting former Bears offensive tackle Jimbo Covert during his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021.

Suhey is survived by his wife, Donna Suhey, and their three children: Joe Suhey, Allison Suhey, and Scott Suhey.