Fedoras, fans, and football – that’s because it was “Sean Stellato Day” at Marist College.
Marblehead’s Stellato, a widely-popular NFL agent who also played football at Salem High, was celebrated at his alma mater, where he suited up for the Red Foxes’ football team (Class of 2002).
The festivities came ahead of the football team’s game against Valparaiso on Saturday. Stellato said he found out about the event in August.
“I’m humble and grateful,” said Stellato, a member of the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame as of last year. “The weekend was surreal.”
The first 1,000 fans in attendance received a fedora – a staple of Stellato’s viral fashion style. The Man of the Hour also received a framed jersey at halftime.
“It was just so crazy. People were coming up to me and I’m signing fedoras,” said Stellato, Marist’s leader in touchdown receptions for two seasons. “It’s hard to put into words. And it was great, obviously, for my family to be there and experience it. … It was sweet to get in there and be a part of the action, seeing so many students and alums. The celebration was, like, ‘holy cow.’
Stellato made the most of his Saturday back home. He ran a route on the field – the same route he scored a touchdown on against Georgetown 23 years ago – and performed his second-ever coin toss.
“There was so much nostalgia and so much pride. Marist is a pillar of my life,” he said. “It was hard to put into words.”
Beyond football Saturday, it was a busy weekend for Stellato, who was part of a roundtable discussion last Friday alongside 150 students and a few moderators.
“You try to be a source of inspiration for the next generation,” he said.
Marist fell short against Valparaiso, 17-14. Stellato said he “wished the team could’ve gotten the W,” but other than that, couldn’t have had a better time.
“But to be around and see kids warming up with fedoras and the President of School (Kevin C. Weinman) with a fedora was great to see,” he said. “The president reached out and said they really wanted to do something cool. I’ve got to give it to them – they went all out.”
And, of course, the fedoras were a hit.
“The fedoras were amazing,” Stellato said.
