One of the most recognizable looks at Canes games this season has been the Old English-lettering hats. That’s thanks to University of Miami alum and 2001 national champion football player Javon Nanton and his clothing brand, Fooley.
Nanton stays true to his Miami roots while blending creativity and casual wear into his brand.
Fooley is a hat and clothing brand that started in 2024 and is centered on the Hurricanes, but its original inspiration came from a personal place, not a business one.
“I wanted to make myself some shorts to wear for the upcoming season,” Nanton said. “Then the idea quickly turned into, ‘How about I make myself a hat?’ and so on.”
The idea of making something just for himself quickly became a passion project: creating an entire brand for a community to enjoy.
“It came out just how I imagined,” said Nanton. “Even if someone else had created it and I went to the store and saw it, I would have purchased it. So then I was like, I have to share this with the world.”
Born and raised in Miami, Nanton became a walk-on for the University’s football team in 2001 as an edge rusher. He worked his way up the depth chart, eventually earning a scholarship and leading the team in sacks in 2003.
Word began to spread about the Canes-focused brand thanks to UM’s network and culture, starting with fellow student-athletes from his time at the U.
Former football teammates like Kareem Brown and former Canes baseball stars like Cesar Carrillo and Jon Jay have all repped the brand from its start.
Fooley’s wave also hit the younger generation of upcoming Canes, who sported his looks online and on recruiting visits.
When he saw an upcoming four-star recruit, Ezekiel Ayangbile, post pictures on social media during his official visit wearing a Fooley hat, Nanton knew a movement was building.
“The major breakthrough was [football’s] class of 2027,” Nanton said.
Nanton didn’t take credit for it, another former UM alum bought the hat for Ayangbile to wear, and his fellow recruits passed it along that weekend. It was so popular that Hurricane recruiting staff started offering the brand to wear during photo shoots for the rest of the summer with top commits like five-star Donte Wright Jr. and Israel Abrams wearing the hats.
Hurricane influencers are also setting the pace for the brand’s success, showing up in Fooley gear from head to toe on game days.
For recent UM graduate and social media influencer Ava Kezirian, her love for the brand goes beyond the look; she loves it for the authenticity and fellowship Nanton brings.
“He was one of the first people I met in the Canes community who made me feel like I was truly part of something, and I’ll always be grateful for that,” Kezirian said. “That genuine sense of family is what Fooley Hats is all about.”
As for Fooley’s future, Nanton is open to just about anything, as long as it stays Miami-focused and creatively inspiring.
“I’m a Hurricane, you know, until the day I die,” said Nanton. “So this is just my way of just giving back to a place that’s given so much to me and honors the culture that we stand for.”
Fooley gives Miami fans a fresh way to show their spirit on game days and every day, and that’s exactly what Nanton wants.
