Villapiano played college football at Bowling Green State University, and high school football at both Asbury Park High School and Ocean Township High in Monmouth County, NJ While at Bowling Green, he was the Mid-America Conference Player of the Year.

Career

He was AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1971, All-NFL in 1975 and 1976, and All-AFC from 1972-1976. Phil also played in four Pro Bowls and was a member of the Oakland Raiders Super Bowl XI winning team. 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.

Personal life

Phil has three children; Andrea, Phil, and Michael. Michael is a quarterback at Brown University. His wife, Susan, died of breast cancer on November 22, 2016.

Phil has been in the International Logistics business for more than thirty years, starting during off seasons while playing with the Raiders. Currently, Phil provides logistics solutions for domestic and international companies as Vice President of Sales for Odyssey Logistics & Technology, a global logistics leader, based in Danbury, Connecticut. Phil works closely with WIN - Web Integrated Network, which is a free Transportation Management System. 

Following Hurricane Sandy, Phil and his friends founded The Foundation to Save the Jersey Shore, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to raise funds and direct resources to assist homeowners and businesses in Monmouth and Ocean Counties at the Jersey Shore. As a National Vice President with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Phil founded the annual Phil Villapiano Field of Hope Gala which raised over $3 million over 16 years for research being done at ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) to find a cure for ALS. In 2002, he received “The Jimmy V Don’t Ever Give Up Award” from the Jimmy Valvano Foundation for the inspiration he gives to others.