1. Philip James Villapiano was born on February 26,1949 and is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for 13 seasons in the National Football League.
16 Facts About Phil Villapiano
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Phil Villapiano played college football for the Bowling Green Falcons.
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Phil Villapiano played college football at Bowling Green State University, and while there was selected as Mid-America Conference Player of the Year.
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Phil Villapiano was known for his pass coverage and his long friendship with Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame inductee Franco Harris and was a defender in one of the top plays in the history of the NFL, in 1972, a play known as the "Immaculate Reception".
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Phil Villapiano was the linebacker assigned to cover Franco Harris during that play on December 23,1972.
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One of the fastest linebackers of his era, Phil Villapiano 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.
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In March 2018, Phil Villapiano was inducted into the Reese's Senior Bowl Hall of Fame.
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The next month Phil Villapiano was voted as the Jersey Shore's Greatest Sports Personality Winner.
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Phil Villapiano was selected as a 2019 Senior Class candidate for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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Phil Villapiano's nephew Joe Villapiano is a college football coach and has been the offensive coordinator at Cornell University since 2017.
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In January 2018, Phil Villapiano was recognized as a candidate for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH.
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Later, in March 2018, Phil Villapiano was named to the Hall of Fame for the College Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL.
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Later in the summer of 2018, Phil Villapiano 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.
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In March 2018, Phil 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.
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Phil Villapiano 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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Phil Villapiano has 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.