By Anne Payne

To The Leader

Charean Williams, originally of Beaumont and a Texas A&M graduate, right, takes pride in breaking many barriers in sports journalism as an NFL reporter for 25 years.  Williams served as the guest speaker on Monday, April 22, for the Beaumont A&M Club’s annual Muster in the Beaumont Event Centre, 700 Crockett Street in downtown.  Next to the Westbrook High School graduate is local Orange resident and fellow Aggie, David Payne.  Williams’s first journalism job after Aggieland was working for The Orange Leader for almost a year.

Other Orangeites known to be in attendance were Willie and Dr. Deborah Bednar, Lois Ferrell, Karen McKinney, Anne Payne, and Dan Perrine.

The former local journalist was awarded the 2018 Dick McCann Award, earning her a place in the media area at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.  Her first NFL reporting beat came at The Orlando Sentinel, covering the Buccaneers from Tampa Bay, Florida, from 1994-99.  Williams finally got to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram where she covered the Dallas Cowboys for 17 years.

The southeast Texan now writes Pro Football Talk for NBCSports.com.