Steve Suhey
Encyclopedia
Steven Joseph Suhey is a former professional American football
player, playing guard
for two seasons in the National Football League
for the Pittsburgh Steelers
. He was an All-America
n at Penn State. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1985. His son Matt Suhey
, also played at Penn State and in the NFL.
during World War II
.
Suhey was the MVP
of the 1948 Cotton Bowl Classic. It has been suggested Penn State's now-famous "We Are Penn State!" stadium cheer has its origins in a statement made by team captain
Suhey prior to that game. Suhey is said to have declared, “We are Penn State. There will be no meetings,” in response to SMU
's request for a meeting to protest the participation of Penn State's two black players (Wallace Triplett
and Dennie Hoggard).
with the Pittsburgh Steelers
, Suhey coached high school football before joining the L.G. Balfour Company.
, were letterman at Penn State from 1975-1979. Matt would go on to play 10 seasons in the NFL with the Chicago Bears
. One grandson, Kevin Suhey, was a quarterback
and special teams player for the Nittany Lions from 2005–2007 and another grandson, Joe Suhey, is currently a running back
at Penn State. The Higgins-Suhey family has been called the "first family" of Nittany Lion football, with 90 years of involvement with the Penn State football program.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player, playing guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
for two seasons in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
. He was an All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n at Penn State. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 1985. His son Matt Suhey
Matt Suhey
Matthew Jerome Suhey is a former professional American football player, playing fullback/running back for ten seasons in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears...
, also played at Penn State and in the NFL.
Penn State
Suhey's college career was interrupted by three years of service in the United States Army Air CorpsUnited States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Suhey was the MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of the 1948 Cotton Bowl Classic. It has been suggested Penn State's now-famous "We Are Penn State!" stadium cheer has its origins in a statement made by team captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
Suhey prior to that game. Suhey is said to have declared, “We are Penn State. There will be no meetings,” in response to SMU
SMU Mustangs football
The SMU Mustangs football program is a college football team that represents Southern Methodist University . The team competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member Conference USA...
's request for a meeting to protest the participation of Penn State's two black players (Wallace Triplett
Wallace Triplett
Wallace Triplett is a former professional American football player, the first African-American to be drafted by and play for a National Football League team...
and Dennie Hoggard).
Personal
After playing two seasons in the NFLNational Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, Suhey coached high school football before joining the L.G. Balfour Company.
"First family of Nittany Lion football"
Suhey married Ginger Higgins, the daughter of Bob Higgins, a former All-American at Penn State and Suhey's college coach. Three of their sons, Larry, Paul, and MattMatt Suhey
Matthew Jerome Suhey is a former professional American football player, playing fullback/running back for ten seasons in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears...
, were letterman at Penn State from 1975-1979. Matt would go on to play 10 seasons in the NFL with the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. One grandson, Kevin Suhey, was a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and special teams player for the Nittany Lions from 2005–2007 and another grandson, Joe Suhey, is currently a running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
at Penn State. The Higgins-Suhey family has been called the "first family" of Nittany Lion football, with 90 years of involvement with the Penn State football program.