Street Renaming Honors East Side Football Legend Willie Mitchell

Published on October 01, 2026

SAN ANTONIO (October 1, 2026) — A San Antonio street will soon carry the name of one of the East Side’s own.

Today, the San Antonio City Council approved renaming Splashtown Drive to Willie Mitchell Drive, honoring San Antonio native, Wheatley High School graduate and professional football champion Willie Mitchell.

District 2 Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez initiated the renaming following the closure of Splashtown, creating an opportunity to recognize a community figure with deep roots in San Antonio’s East Side.

“Willie Mitchell is one of San Antonio’s most outstanding homegrown talents,” said the District 2 Councilmember. “We honor him and his legacy by adding his name to a street in the very community who shaped, supported and watched him win an NFL championship. It is my honor to recognize an exceptional District 2 resident who has made San Antonio history, NFL history and American history.”

Born in San Antonio in 1940, Mitchell went on to play eight seasons of professional football, including seven with the Kansas City Chiefs. He played in the first AFL-NFL World Championship Game and was part of the Chiefs team that defeated the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV. He finished his professional career with the Houston Oilers in 1971.

The new Willie Mitchell Drive brings his name back home, permanently recognizing an East Side athlete whose career took him from Wheatley High School to professional football’s biggest stage.