Street renamed for Madison High great Lonnie Sadler

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - A Nashville and Vanderbilt football legend was honored on Wednesday in Madison.

The city honored the life and legacy of Lonnie Sadler by renaming the street at the former Madison High School Lonnie Sadler Way.

Sadler was born and raised in Madison.

In 1975, he was voted the first African American captain for Vanderbilt’s football team.

Sadler passed away in 2020.

His family was at Wednesday’s ceremony.

His widow said she was overjoyed about the street naming.

“This just means so much to me, my children, my grandchildren and all of my extended family to have a street named after Lonnie, and I’m just so full in my heart,” Patricia Sadler said. “My heart is so full, and I just feel so proud to be his wife, seeing the people who came out to celebrate this with us today.”

After college, Sadler went on to coach his three sons and mentored other young men in the Phil King Football League.