Matt Suhey

Last updated

Matt Suhey
No. 26
Position: Fullback
Personal information
Born: (1958-07-07) July 7, 1958 (age 66)
Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:217 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school: State College (PA) Area
College: Penn State
NFL draft: 1980  / round: 2 / pick: 46
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards:2,946
Rushing average:3.6
Rushing touchdowns:20
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Matthew Jerome Suhey (born July 7, 1958) is an American former professional football player who was a fullback for ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Bears. He won a Super Bowl as a member of the 1985 Bears while scoring a touchdown in the game and was named to the Pennsylvania Football All-Century Team. [1] [2]

Contents

Before his NFL career, Suhey played college football at Penn State from 1976 to 1979, rushing for 2,818 yards and 26 touchdowns, while also catching 39 passes for 328 yards and 2 scores, along with 21 punt returns for 252 yards and another touchdown. [3]

Suhey was the lead blocker and friend of Walter Payton. He is also a close friend of the Payton family, and the executor of the Payton estate since the death of Walter. Although Suhey was never a leader in any statistical category, he was a fan favorite for his personality and blocking ability.

Matt Suhey is one of three sons of College Football Hall of Fame guard Steve Suhey to letter at Penn State University and a grandson of Hall of Fame Penn State player and coach Bob Higgins. His son, Joe Suhey, was a fullback at Penn State from 2007 to 2011. The Higgins–Suhey family is often referred to as the "first family of Penn State football" due to their affiliation with the program spanning four generations. [4]

NFL career statistics

Legend
Won the Super Bowl
BoldCareer high

Regular season

YearTeamGamesRushingReceiving
GPGSAttYdsAvgLngTDRecYdsAvgLngTD
1980 CHI 16122452.01007608.6210
1981 CHI 15141505213.5263331685.1150
1982 CHI 98702062.9153363339.3450
1983 CHI 16131496814.6394494298.8521
1984 CHI 16161244243.4214423127.4232
1985 CHI 16161154714.1171332958.9351
1986 CHI 1614842703.2172242359.8580
1987 CHI 1227243.4607547.7120
1988 CHI 1616872532.9192201547.7290
1989 CHI 16020512.6819738.1221
1481008282,9463.639202602,1138.1585

Playoffs

YearTeamGamesRushingReceiving
GPGSAttYdsAvgLngTDRecYdsAvgLngTD
1984 CHI 2210232.31505448.8330
1985 CHI 33231084.71114369.0240
1986 CHI 114143.550122.020
1987 CHI 11482.050166.060
1988 CHI 22231.530284.040
99431563.615113967.4330

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References

  1. Archived February 18, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Bears Trounce Patriots, 46-10, in Super Bowl". Los Angeles Times. January 27, 1986. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  3. "Matt Suhey College Stats".
  4. "Ginger Suhey, Matriarch of Penn State First Family of Football, Dies". November 23, 2011. Archived from the original on June 5, 2014. Retrieved June 1, 2014.