NASHVILLE, TN – January 25, 2025 – Former Vanderbilt football player and University of Tennessee Coach Doug Mathews has been named to the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025. Mathews was told of the news by Tennessee Sports Hall of Famer Charles Davis on Mathews’ Saturday morning radio show on WGFX-FM in Nashville. The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Tennessee Lottery, pays homage to the state’s rich sports historyand their impact within the community.
“Doug Mathews has touched the game of football in some way at every level,” said Brad Willis, Executive Director of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. “His career after coaching found him giving back through connections to youth and high school sports, and by teaching the game to fans through the media. He’s a great representative of sports in the state, and we’re happy to name him to the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025.”
Mathews was born in Oklahoma and played two years of junior college football at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, helping lead the Golden Norsemen to a 1967 NJCAA National Championship. Mathews was named a NJCAA All-American, and the 1967 NJCAA Player of the Year. Mathews played at Vanderbilt from 1968-1969, playing defensive back his junior season, leading the nation in punt return average, and tailback in his senior year, where he led the SEC in rushing.
Mathews began his coaching career in 1971 at Montgomery Bell Academy and went on to coach collegiately at Northeast Louisiana, Weber State, Louisville, Virginia Tech, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt. Mathews served under Johnny Majors, serving as a running backs coach from 1980-1988, before moving to defensive coordinator from 1988-1989. In 1990, Mathews became the defensive coordinator at Vanderbilt.
Following his career in coaching, Mathews founded Doug Mathews All American Athlete sporting good company, serving numerous high schools and middle schools with their athletic team needs. Mathews ran the company for over 20 years, and the business still operates today at Mathews Team Sports.
For nearly 30 years, Mathews has been a fixture on Nashville-area radio, starting with WLAC-AM and then with WGFX-FM, hosting shows like Big Orange Sunday, Doug Mathews Sports Saturday, and Coach to Coach. Mathews has also served as an analyst for the Titans Radio Network.
Mathews joins Deon Grant, Tony Allen, Elston Turner, George Pitts and Bob Brown as announced members of the Class of 2025. The full 2025 Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Induction Class will be released over the coming weeks.
The 2025 Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony, presented by the Tennessee Titans, will be held Saturday, July 19nd at the Omni Nashville Downtown. Ticket information will be announced soon.
About the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame
Established in 1966, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Tennessee Lottery, enshrines and honors athletes, teams, coaches, sports writers and sports administrators who have made an impact on the history of Tennessee sports. The Hall serves as a platform to connect athletes, coaches, sports fans, and supporters by acknowledging life achievements implemented through sports. The Hall celebrates athletes of all forms, from all across the state. Additionally, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame aspires to educate youth about the importance of healthy habits and the positive impact they have on lifestyle choices. For more information, visit www.tshf.net.
About the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation
The Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation operates entirely from the revenue it generates through the sale of its products. Since January 20, 2004, the Lottery has raised more than $7.6 billion to fund designated education programs, including college grants, scholarships, Drive to 55 initiatives and after-school programs. In addition to the educational beneficiaries, players have won more than $20.8 billion in prizes and Lottery retailers have earned more than $2 billion in commissions. For additional information, visit tnlottery.com and follow the TEL on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
