Be the first to review. News never stops. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. It is late Wednesday evening, three days before Christmas. "The game ended at 3:30," he recalled, "and we won on our last possession. Since then, several former Raiders, including Villapiano, have pledged their brains to the Concussion Legacy Foundation, which works with the Veterans Administration and Boston University School of Medicine to promote advances in brain research and treatment. Villapiano should hate Pittsburgh. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. He goes to his hotel and has a drink in the bar, where he hears everyone talking about Franco Harris and what he meant to the city. PHIL VILLAPIANO Linebacker Asbury Park . View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. He remembers. Sports Picks From A Raider Legend. Stabler was a Pro Bowler four times during those years and won the NFL MVP Award for the 1974 season. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Nowadays, the 64-year-old Rumson resident's influences include his wife, Susan, as well as the many friends, business associates and fundraising partners who help him on various projects. "He would tell my mother to ask me what I'm doing at [that time] in the afternoon. But ask Harris about what he recalls as the ball floated in his direction, and the details would always somehow fall away. Work out three times every day. Great player.". Villapiano's father and Harris' mother, it turned out, came from the same region of Italy, and they struck up a conversation. Personal: Michael Villapiano, the son of Susan and Phil VillapianoHas two siblings, Andrea and Philip. Dating & Relationship status He is currently single. "He would call my mother's house," Villapiano said. That season, he was named BGSU MVP, MAC Defensive Player of the Year, and first team All-MAC. %mlink(STRY:; PHOTO:; AUDIO:%) RENO, Nev. (AP) _ Former Oakland Raiders linebacker Phil Villapiano's prodding and Super Bowl ring helped put a 35-year-old man from Livermore, Calif., back on his feet. The Assassin and The Reverend: Remembering the late Jack Tatum. Follow him on Twitter@AMarkG1. Phil Villapiano NFL statistics and biographical data. Villapiano knows most who love the Raiders think of Franco Harris as a villain. [6] His nephew Joe Villapiano is a college football coach and has been the offensive coordinator at Cornell University since 2017. Friends, teammates and rivals are paying their respects to Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris. ", And then he walked away. So where are these texts between them at? . And get a phone number.". All rights reserved (About Us). Phil Villapiano is a 73 year old American Football (American) Player born on 26th February, 1949 in Long Branch, New Jersey. It is how they say, "I love you.". Phil's Coming Out Party: In week 3 of the 1971 season, rookie Villapiano was thrown into the fire and he had to start due to injuries at linebacker. Villapiano gets on the plane and flies to Pittsburgh anyway. He was a great guy.". 1:45 AM. The play dubbed the Holy Roller came to Villapiano's mind, when Stabler fumbled the Raiders to a 21-20 victory over the San Diego Chargers on Sept. 10, 1978. "They don't have any money for a gym so they have hooked up this iron bar to this harness and he's buckled in and lifted up and his feet barely touch the ground. Was in the first graduating class of Ocean Township High School, Oakhurst, NJ (1967). He goes to his hotel and has a drink in the bar, where he hears everyone talking about Franco Harris and what he meant to the city. "It just seems so strange that I have brain fog and I remember not one single thing." Matter of fact, I don't think we ever got home. The target of Villapiano's bone rattling hit this time, wasn't a back coming out of the backfield, or a receiver coming across the middle. Symptoms can include aggression, memory loss and mood swings, but the only way to confirm CTE is through an examination of the brain that's possible only after death. But even before that it was part of their routine. But we won some games with stupid things.". "Well, I knew Conrad Dobler, who used to play for the Cardinals, and his wife, Jill, had been injured that way and she was told that since her spinal cord wasn't torn she might walk again one day," Villapiano said. He wished Mobile's favorite NFL player could have been there to see it. Remembering Franco Harris.Thanks to Phil Villapiano, the Steelers legend was inducted as an honorary member of The Black Hole in 2018 pic.twitter.com/3eVlw28QCO. And then Snake throws that thing, and Pete throws it and Casper gets it and we win. Early Wednesday, Villapiano, an all-time great Raiders linebacker awoke to the unthinkable. Philip James Villapiano (born February 26, 1949 in Long Branch, New Jersey) is a former American football linebacker who played 13 season in the NFL. "I'm calling him because I want this to keep going. Phil Villapiano, Ocean As Ocean Township High School celebrates its 50th anniversary, it was Villapiano who was the Spartans first star athlete in the years after it opened. ESPN. But it should also be clear that on championship teams, no matter how many minutes he plays or does not play, he gets his ring because he earned it. Where to eat: Nearly 30 restaurants open for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day at the Jersey Shore. There are reports all over the place that Harris died in his sleep at age 72. Asbury Park, NJ. They have shared time. He is here to see the Steelers retire Harris' number. About Phil Villapiano is a 73 year old American Football (American) Player born on 26th February, 1949 in Long Branch, New Jersey. PHIL VILLAPIANO WALKS through the Pittsburgh airport. Villapiano andKen Stabler spent the 1971 through 1979 seasons as teammates on the Oakland Raiders. (32) go after the ball in the first half of the AFC Championship . is 6'1"(1.85m) . Our freshly-made rotisserie chicken, offered in full or half portions or shredded, and our tuna tacos and giant pretzel are also very popular, he said. 'The meat is the star': Mutiny BBQ Company opens in Asbury Park. Over the past 50 years, Villapiano and Harris have eaten together and gone to events together. A few months ago, sitting in a chair in downtown Pittsburgh, Harris ticked off specifics: how the play was called "60 option" and the reason he ran toward the ball from his blocking position was because it's what Joe Paterno had always preached to him at Penn State. So we celebrated. "So I told him, and he said his wasn't torn either, and I told him that maybe you could walk one day. Linebacker for the Oakland Raiders (1971-1979) and Buffalo Bills (1980-1983). Among challenges, Villapiano confirmed that staffing has been hard during the pandemic. For the first time in the 48-year history of the Super Bowl, the big game will be played in the tri-state area. A dream they turned into reality in October 2019 when the trio purchased the former McGillicuddy's Taphouse in Loch Arbour, NJ from the Allenhurst commercial real estate firm, Bielat Santore & Company. "Karaoke had just become popular," Villapiano said. Oftentimes Villapiano, who spends part of the year in Arizona, would be golfing when the call came, so "half the country club would listen in." Michael was a quarterback at Brown University. Report: Marcel Reece has left Raiders role, Former player was owner Mark Davis chief of staff, Raiders Josh McDaniels: See ball, get ball, Las Vegas head coach reiterates need to find smart, explosive players on defense at NFL Combine, NFL Combine Day 2: Jalen Carter makes headlines without speaking, Raiders Week 16 opponent: Meet the Steelers, Raiders-Steelers: 5 things we learned from another close loss, 5 questions with Behind the Steel Curtain, The gore, guts and horror of an NFL fumble pile, I understand why Andrew Luck retired, because Ive been in his shoes, 10 unwritten rules to not screw up your NFL jersey number, The never-before-revealed details of the infamous Eli Manning draft-day trade, NFL referee Sarah Thomas doesn't have time for your nonsense. They each had parents who hailed from the same area in Italy and Villapiano said they had a deep connections personally from the time they met. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. Rebels of Oakland: The A's, the Raiders, the '70s, Himself - Linebacker, Oakland Raiders 1971-1979, Himself - Oakland Raiders Linebacker / Himself - Oakland Raiders Linebcker, Himself - Oakland Raiders Left Outside Linebacker. 32 NFL players who could change teams this offseason, Disputed loan at center of Commanders probe, 2023 NFL franchise tag tracker: Commanders' Payne first to be tagged, Meet the man scouring Nigeria for the next generation of NBA and NFL talent, 2023 NFL combine preview: 15 future fantasy football stars to watch, Hall of Fame running back's impact on NFL history, Pittsburgh Steelers fans was felt until his final day, Six teams, three spots, three weeks left: Barnwell sorts the AFC wild-card playoff field, NFL Week 16 playoff picture and clinching scenarios: Bills win AFC East, Chargers, Ravens clinch berths. Phil Villapiano, the 1971 AFC . 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. It feels like forever and then he takes one half step forward and falls into my arms. Apparently he calls Franco Harris every year to convince him it . . "Do you know what your father did?" As a mom, Englert couldnt be prouder of the teams accomplishments. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. He shrugged, then added that he has always found it interesting that his mother, watching on television back in New Jersey, had put on one of her Italian music albums right before the play. Everyone knows this. Harris' mom was nervous about having to speak in her broken English, but Villapiano's dad -- who spoke the same dialect of Italian -- helped her so she could relax and enjoy her son's night. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Phil Villapiano has always been one of the most staunch defenders of the silver and black, so it's no surprise that he'd hold a lot of discontent with Antonio Brown. Villapiano and Stabler still are teammates in a way. ESPN Feature Producer Joshua Vorensky contributed to this report. It's especially awesome that they still bust each other's balls about that iconic moment. Linebacker for the Oakland Raiders (1971-1979) and Buffalo Bills (1980-1983). Odyssey Logistics Location 39 Old Ridgebury Rd Ste E4, Danbury, Connecticut, 06810, United States Description Read More Industry 47 minutes. Phil villapiano 1 of 4. They did many Immaculate Reception events together. Jerry Izenberg is Columnist Emeritus for The Star-Ledger. He is excited. I said fuck yeah we are. Played in four consecutive Pro Bowls (1973-1976) and won one Super Bowl (Super Bowl XI) while a member of the John Madden-coached Oakland Raiders. It almost surely gets lost in the history and controversy and drama of it all, but the most meaningful story to come out of the most famous play in NFL history might have been this beautiful, unlikely friendship between two men who were on opposite sides. 32 was to be retired by the Pittsburgh Steelers. "It's such a shame that he's not with us tonight," Villapiano said before the induction ceremony at The Steeple in Mobile. Details. He shrugged, then added that he has always found it interesting that his mother, watching on television back in New Jersey, had put on one of her Italian music albums right before the play. Thats our culture and our friendly, professionaland fun staff members truly embody that spirit., Happy holidays! Nobody who ever wore the ring honored it so much. It's been a life-long dream for Monmouth County native Phil Villapiano and his partners Greg Bartz and Andrea Pappas to own a restaurant. I donated my brain because we're going to do this together. The group prayed in Harris honor and told stories about their dear friend, braving bitter cold. Press J to jump to the feed. Neither do we. $104.99. Take a peek at the tradition that Raiders linebacker Phil Villapiano and Steelers hero Franco Harris share on every Dec. 23, along with a scientific breakdown of the "Immaculate Reception." Watch QB Kenny Pickett's 4 most improbable completions from Week 17 of the 2022 NFL season, according to Next . YOU HAVE 20,000 FOLLOWERS: $100 per post at a $5/CPM. So this year, three days before Christmas, Villapiano comes to Pittsburgh. "We were in a tough division. You can clearly see from the replay that it was. "And when he did it, I did it. Las Vegas has cap space, but will the team be big-spenders? But the gift Villapiano brought to a man he had never before met in his life is the kind of stuff that could melt Ebenezer Scrooge's heart. Support NJ.com. Phil Villapiano is a well known Football (American). We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. Top Rated Seller. Raiders tight end Dave Casper tried to pick the ball up, but instead gave it a little kick into the end zone, where he finally corralled the football. The showroom is packed and then Carano introduces Villapiano, who tells the story of his Super Bowl ring. "Not just the Raiders. His hair is white, but his eyes dance the way they have for decades. Harris leaves behind a Here is the obituary of Phil Villapiano's wife, Susan. and he's handing out beer to all of us.". "You were the best. "I'm calling him because I want this to keep going. In March 2018, Villapiano was inducted into the Reese's Senior Bowl Hall of Fame. By her side were her best friend and husband, Phil, the love of her life, her son Michael, and Susan's sister Mary and brother, Bob. Mike said, I guess were not going to Pittsburgh now, Villapiano said. The gait was slightly awkward; he'd lost his left leg . 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