A former linebacker who played a role in some of the biggest moments in Raiders' history has become the latest Oakland great to pledge his brain to medical science.
Phil Villapiano, the 1971 AFC rookie of the year who appeared in four Pro Bowls, made the announcement this week in Washington as part of a Veterans Administration event to promote brain research.Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald and three-time Olympic champion swimmer Nancy Hogshead-Makar also pledged their brains to the Concussion Legacy Foundation, which works with the VA and Boston University School of Medicine to promote advances in brain research and treatment.