Former Bears fullback Matt Suhey, close friend of Walter Payton, dies at 71

Matt Suhey, who spent his entire 10-year NFL career with the Chicago Bears, died on Sunday, Sept. 6, the team confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. A second-round pick from Penn State in 1980, Suhey appeared in 148 games, starting 100, and contributed 2,946 rushing yards, 20 rushing touchdowns, 260 receptions for 2,113 yards and five receiving touchdowns. He scored a rushing touchdown in the Bears' 1985 Super Bowl 20 victory over the New England Patriots.

Suhey formed a close friendship with running back Walter Payton, the league's all-time leading rusher at the time of his retirement in 1988. Payton served as godfather to Suhey's son, Scotty, while Suhey became a father figure to Payton's son, Jarrett. After Payton's death in 1999, Jarrett Payton posted on Instagram, describing Suhey as his father's "closest friend" and noting that Suhey "looked after" their family for years.

"He was my dad’s closest friend," Jarrett Payton wrote. "After we lost my dad in 1999, Matt became the biggest father figure I had. When everything felt uncertain, he was there. 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."

Suhey's contributions on the field and his off-field mentorship left a lasting impact on both the Bears organization and the Payton family.