Chicago Bears legendary fullback Matt Suhey passed away at the age of 68 today, according to NBC Chicago.

The 1985 Super Bowl champion enjoyed a 10-year career in the Windy City from 1980 through 1989. He was a fan favorite as soon as the team brought him on board as a second-round selection in the 1980 NFL Draft.

He opened up running lanes for Walter Payton throughout the first eight years of his career and paved the way for him to reach the century mark in six of those seasons. He also added 2,946 rushing yards and 39 touchdowns of his own, as well as 2,113 yards through the air with five receiving scores.

Notably, he and Walter Payton developed a very close bond throughout their careers. In fact, he was the executor of the Sweetness' Estate following his passing in 1999.

Matt Suhey and Walter Payton were like brothers

Payton and Suhey were inseparable as soon as the latter joined the team. Payton gave insight into their relationship in his autobiography, "Never Die Easy."

"We were Ebony and Ivory before Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney," Payton wrote. "I think our relationship helped break down a lot of lines, a lot of racial lines, on the team and some said, in the city. Here were two guys who had to have each other and everything just clicked. … Matt was one of the first white guys I really got to know. He knew I was nervous about all that and he broke the ice by joking around all the time about it. If it weren't the fact that he was an obnoxious Penn Stater, I'd say we could talk about anything."

When speaking to ESPN's Melissa Isaacson in 2010, Walter Payton's wife Connie also echoed a similar sentiment about their relationship.

"It was sort of like husband and wife where you just know what the other one's thinking," said Walter's wife, Connie. "It made their chemistry on the field a lot easier and though he didn't say this to me but knowing Walter, it was very important that he had that relationship with Matt."

Suhey was a key member of the team's legendary 1985 team

Suhey not only was a member of the Bears when they achieved their lone Super Bowl win, but he actually made a major dent in the stat sheets in their blowout victory over New England to win the big game. He finished the contest with 11 attempts for 52 yards and scored the first touchdown of the game. He also hauled in a 24-yard catch in the 46-10 rout.

His legacy extends far beyond that performance, though. He will always be known as a highly respected presence inside the locker room and a fan favorite from the outside looking in.