From humble beginnings and with an unmatched work ethic, sports agent Chris Cabott, ’01, represents some of the biggest names in football. 

Chris Cabott, ’01, fielded one of the most important phone calls of his career in the parking lot of a convenience store one block from his Los Angeles condo. He prayed the call would provide an opportunity to represent an athlete Cabott believed was a once-in-a-generation talent who would dominate and transcend the game of football: Patrick Lavon Mahomes II.

If you follow the National Football League, you know the rest of this story. Mahomes has rewritten NFL records, has won the Super Bowl twice, and is a two-time league and Super Bowl MVP. He also signed the largest contract in sports history in 2020. He did all of that with Cabott serving as his agent.

“There’s no greater joy than seeing God-given talent in someone and helping that person grow it and build on it,” Cabott said. “That’s just special.”

Cabott first spotted Mahomes’ talent in 2014. “I wrote in my first scouting report on him, ‘I’m watching someone play point guard on a football field and I’ve never seen it before,’” Cabott said. “From there, I started researching him more, and everything I saw showed that he wasn’t only talented on the field; he was a special human off the field.”

Research led him to connect with Mahomes’ parents. Cabott described the player’s mother Randi as “one of the most charming people I know.” Then, he noted how Pat Mahomes, Sr., who played professional baseball for more than a decade, had raised his oldest son to excel in athletics and understand the importance of relationships, leadership, and work ethic. Cabott and Mahomes, Sr., hit it off quickly. “The main cog in the whole thing was Chris,” Mahomes, Sr., said in an interview with the Kansas City Star. “He was sharp, knew how to treat people. I knew that was the way to win Patrick over, because family is close to his heart.”

Cabott, 43, is chief executive officer of Equity Sports—a four-division agency representing what he calls “elite talent of elite character” in baseball, basketball, football, and action sports. Cabott studied political science at La Salle and earned his bachelor’s degree in 2001. Today, he’s a lawyer, a top NFL agent, and one of the most respected executives in all of sports. In addition, he is also considered one of the brightest minds in marketing and brand partnerships. Cabott has secured endorsements for clients with major brands like Nike, Jordan Brand, Adidas, State Farm, and more.

It wasn’t always that way for Cabott. From what he describes as “a small family from a small town,” Cabott grew up an hour west of Philadelphia in Coatesville, Pa. His mother, Sandra, owned a hair salon attached to the home, so that she could have her children near her while she worked. His father, Donn, put his talent for art and photography aside to focus on a more consistent living working in a steel mill. “My parents are incredible people with amazing values and a strong work ethic,” Cabott said. “They taught my sister and I responsibility at a young age and did everything possible to give us a better chance at life.”

Those traits rubbed off on Cabott. He took the Broad Street Line subway from La Salle’s campus to an internship with the Office of the District Attorney in Philadelphia for several semesters as an undergrad. He later turned down a fulltime job offer with the DA after graduation and lived at home while attending law school. On weekends, he laid stone by day and tended bar by night. “I saved it all—every penny,” he said. All the while, Cabott worked three years pro bono at a law firm in Philadelphia that represented athletes and entertainers.

“I sent a resume for an internship to Lloyd Zane Remick, Esq., with Zane Management in 2003. Lloyd said he had 500 resumes for an internship that he might not give. I asked if I could send resume 501,” Cabott said.

Remick has represented clients and mentored young professionals for 60 years. In observing Cabott’s early days, he knew Chris was destined for success. Remick remembers inviting him to an evening party with other attorneys. From afar, he watched Cabott navigate the room and absorb his surroundings. The next time Cabott got an invite, he was working the room. Another memory of Remick’s: While visiting potential clients, Cabott once traveled to seven states in one weekend.

“Chris will outwork everyone,” Remick said. “What started as an internship developed into Chris becoming an associate and a partner. What I found in him was a very bright, but incredibly hungry individual who had a great desire to succeed. He remains a very disciplined individual, anxious to learn and willing to put in the hard work. Many people talk the game. Chris puts in the hours to advance himself.”

That approach took Cabott to Los Angeles in 2013. To get there, he drove a 2007 Nissan Sentra across the country for four straight days. Cabott was asked to consult legendary sports agent Leigh Steinberg, the inspiration for Jerry Maguire, on the rebirth of his firm in 2014. Cabott kept up his hard-working ways and rose in leadership. He became lead agent and chief operating officer in 2015. In 2019, Cabott was appointed president. Cabott became chief executive officer in 2020. In the years since, Cabott has expanded the agency, which recently rebranded to Equity Sports.

Today, Cabott primarily splits his time between Los Angeles and Kansas City, where he met his wife, Laura, but is a very frequent flyer. “There have been years where I’ve been on the road 300 days. I think I single-handedly kept the airlines afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said, jokingly. “I just believe it is important to be present to properly serve people. I take that approach to my personal life, too. My goal is to wake up and go to bed with Laura every day. Sometimes there’s a city or two sandwiched in between on any given day, but that is the goal.” The couple, who reside in Kansas City, welcomed their first child, a baby girl, in early 2023.

Despite a whirlwind career that took him far from home, Cabott remains close to his roots, his core, and Christianity.

“My best friends today were my best friends growing up in Coatesville,” Cabott said. “Pennsylvania will always be my heart, no matter where God takes me. I know that he is in control. Faith is my drive and faith is my purpose. I’ve been very fortunate to do the things in life I’ve dreamt of doing. God put people in my life to make that happen; and now the greatest blessing is upon me. I’ve wanted to be a dad since I was 12 years old. All of the experiences in life that shaped us will be poured into my daughter, including all the great things that rubbed off on me at La Salle.”

—Christopher A. Vito