Phil Villapiano: Difference between revisions
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In March 2018, Villapiano joined with former NFL stars [[Harry Carson]] and [[Nick Buoniconti]] to support a parent initiative called Flag Football Under 14, which recommends no tackle football below that age out of a concern for the brain health of the young players. He said, "At some point, those of us who have had success in this game must speak up to protect both football players and the future of the game, and supporting 'Flag Football Under 14' is our best way to do that."<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/18/health/nfl-no-tackle-football-kids/index.html Former NFLers call for end to tackle football for kids], CNN, Nadia Kounang, March 1, 2018.</ref> |
In March 2018, Villapiano joined with former NFL stars [[Harry Carson]] and [[Nick Buoniconti]] to support a parent initiative called Flag Football Under 14, which recommends no tackle football below that age out of a concern for the brain health of the young players. He said, "At some point, those of us who have had success in this game must speak up to protect both football players and the future of the game, and supporting 'Flag Football Under 14' is our best way to do that."<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/18/health/nfl-no-tackle-football-kids/index.html Former NFLers call for end to tackle football for kids], CNN, Nadia Kounang, March 1, 2018.</ref> |
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Phil was inducted into the Italian Hall of Fame and is a candidate for induction into the NJ State Hall of Fame. |
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The Villapiano Fan Club consists of members all across the country run by his family and close friends, are always hosting events during Raiders season. |
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Phil has also been actively involved in many philanthropic causes such as Save the Jersey Shore post Hurricane Sandy, an executive in the Jimmy V foundation, and numerous programs in his local community of Rumson, NJ and at his alma mater, Bowling Green State University. |
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==References== |
==References== |
Revision as of 21:34, 31 July 2019
No. 41 | |||||||
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Position: | Linebacker | ||||||
Personal information | |||||||
Born: | Long Branch, New Jersey | February 26, 1949||||||
Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||
Weight: | 225 lb (102 kg) | ||||||
Career information | |||||||
High school: | Ocean Township | ||||||
College: | Bowling Green State | ||||||
NFL draft: | 1971 / round: 2 / pick: 45 | ||||||
Career history | |||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Philip James Villapiano (born February 26, 1949) is a former American football linebacker who played 13 seasons in the NFL.
Early life
Villapiano played high school football at both Asbury Park High School and Ocean Township High School in Monmouth County, New Jersey. He played college football at Bowling Green State University, and while there was selected as Mid-America Conference Player of the Year.[1][2]
Career
- 1971 AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year - 1975 & 1976 All-NFL Pro Bowl - 1972-1976 All-AFC Pro Bowl - 1976 Member of the Oakland Raiders Super Bowl XI winning team
Known for his coverage and long time friendship to Steelers Hall of Fame inductee Franco Harris in one of the top plays in the history of the NFL, in 1972, a play known as the “Immaculate Reception.”
One of the fastest linebackers of his era, Phil specialized in making big plays - none bigger than his momentum changing goal-line tackle against the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI, where he forced the fumble that was recovered by Willie Hall.[3] Villapiano was the linebacker assigned to cover Franco Harris during the Immaculate Reception on December 23, 1972.[4]
In March 2018, Villapiano was inducted into the Reese’s Senior Bowl Hall of Fame. The next month Phil was voted as the Jersey Shore’s Greatest Sports Personality Winner. Phil Villapiano was also selected as a 2019 Senior Class candidate for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Personal life
Phil has three children; Andrea, Phil, and Michael. Michael was a quarterback at Brown University.[5] Phil's wife, Susan, died of breast cancer on November 22, 2016.[6]
Activities after playing career
In January 2018, Phil was recognized as a candidate for the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, OH. He achieved acknowledgement as a solid finalist and again is considered a strong candidate for induction in the Class of 2020 as part of the NFL’s 100th Anniversary celebration. Later, in March 2018, Phil was named to the Hall of Fame for the College Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL. Later in the summer of 2018, Phil was named as the greatest sports personality for the Jersey Shore in a month long contest that included some of the most prolific names in New Jersey’s outstanding sports history.
In March 2018, Villapiano joined with former NFL stars Harry Carson and Nick Buoniconti to support a parent initiative called Flag Football Under 14, which recommends no tackle football below that age out of a concern for the brain health of the young players. He said, "At some point, those of us who have had success in this game must speak up to protect both football players and the future of the game, and supporting 'Flag Football Under 14' is our best way to do that."[7]
Phil was inducted into the Italian Hall of Fame and is a candidate for induction into the NJ State Hall of Fame.
The Villapiano Fan Club consists of members all across the country run by his family and close friends, are always hosting events during Raiders season.
Phil has also been actively involved in many philanthropic causes such as Save the Jersey Shore post Hurricane Sandy, an executive in the Jimmy V foundation, and numerous programs in his local community of Rumson, NJ and at his alma mater, Bowling Green State University.
References
- ^ Phil Villapiano, Archived 2008-10-07 at the Wayback Machine, database Football. Accessed December 15, 2007.
- ^ Harvin, Al. "An Offseason Game; New Jersey Sports", The New York Times, January 12, 1973. Accessed November 16, 2008. "Some of the other Jersey residents on the team, according to Davis, are Bob Tucker, the New York Giants' tight end from Lincroft; Phil Villapiano, Oakland Raider linebacker from Ocean Township, and Ron Johnson, Giant running back, now a resident of Fort Lee."
- ^ Izenberg, Jerry (February 4, 2017). "One Raiders star walked the walk with the gift of his Super Bowl ring". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
- ^ Bouchette, Ed (September 23, 2012). "Phil Villapiano: No whining from him". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
- ^ "#17: Michael Villapiano". Brown University Athletics. 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
- ^ "Villapiano, Susan Penrod". Madison.com. November 25, 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
- ^ Former NFLers call for end to tackle football for kids, CNN, Nadia Kounang, March 1, 2018.
External links
- Jax, Jim (April 30, 2018). "Oakland Raiders great Phil Villapiano; a Hall of Fame man, living a Hall of Fame Life". jimjax4 [blog].
- "Phil Villapiano". National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame.
- Phil Villapiano. "Interview with Raiders Great, new Senior Bowl Hall of Famer Phil Villapiano". Silver and Black Pride [blog] (Interview). Interviewed by Linebacker41.
{{cite interview}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: interviewers list (link)
- 1949 births
- Living people
- American people of Italian descent
- American football linebackers
- Bowling Green Falcons football players
- Buffalo Bills players
- Oakland Raiders players
- American Conference Pro Bowl players
- Super Bowl champions
- Asbury Park High School alumni
- Ocean Township High School alumni
- Sportspeople from Long Branch, New Jersey
- People from Ocean Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey