Journalist Mary Kay Cabot Delivers Scathing Critiques of Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson During Hall of Fame Address
Mary Kay Cabot Cracks a Joke About Bill Belichick at Pro Football Hall of Fame
Mary Kay Cabot, a longtime reporter for the Cleveland Browns, made a memorable joke during her acceptance speech for the Bill Nunn Memorial Award at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Gold Jacket Dinner in Canton, Ohio, on Friday.
In her speech, Cabot reminisced about her early days covering Bill Belichick, who was the first Cleveland Browns coach she ever covered, back in 1991 when she was just 28 years old. She joked that Belichick had trouble relating to a woman that age, humorously tying that to Belichick’s current relationship with 24-year-old Jordon Hudson, which has a significant 48-year age gap.
Cabot quipped, "Now I totally understand why Bill gave me such a hard time. I was 28 at the time, and he just couldn't relate to a woman that old." The joke was well-received and sparked discussion, especially because it referenced Belichick’s personal life.
Throughout her career, Cabot has had her fair share of interactions with Belichick, some of which were challenging. On occasions, Belichick would call and yell at her when he didn't like something she wrote about him. During one such interaction, Cabot told Belichick that if he didn't have the "footballs" to say something to the players, he shouldn't say it to her.
Cabot's jokes about Belichick's age difference with her are ongoing, and it seems they are not going to stop anytime soon. Despite the humor, Cabot later clarified that the line was all in good humor.
The Bill Nunn Memorial Award is presented by the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) annually to a reporter for their long and distinguished contribution to pro football through their coverage. Cabot has been covering the Cleveland Browns since 1991 and has been a longtime reporter for the team. She had to learn to stand up to Belichick during her time covering the Browns, a skill that served her well in her career.
Belichick took over as head coach of the Cleveland Browns in 1991 and has since become one of the most successful coaches in NFL history. Jordon Hudson, who is 24 years old, was born 10 years after Belichick became head coach of the Browns. The details of Hudson's role or connection to Belichick were not provided in the speech.
Cabot, referencing the age gap between Belichick and young NFL player Jordon Hudson, humorously stated, "If Bill struggled to relate to a woman 48 years ago at the age of 28, I can only imagine how he's managing with a 24-year-old today." In another instance, Cabot playfully teased Belichick's coaching style in American football, saying, "Bill may have trouble with the younger generation of American football players, but I knew he didn't have the 'footballs' to argue with me back in '91."
