The Fastest Rabbit of Them All
By Gordon Pynes

Superman has always been billed as faster than a speeding bullet.  Granted the man with the big S on his chest was the fastest but Atlanta’s own Phillip Epps just might have given Clark Kent a race.  Epps did proudly wear the crown of Fastest man in the National Football League (NFL) as he beat the leagues’ fastest in competition for television.

A legendary Atlanta Rabbit football and track star of the 1970s, Epps went on to establish himself as a top flight football and world class track athlete at Texas Christian University (TCU)  with the Horned Frogs.  From there he went even beyond to fame with the Green Bay Packers and finally New York Jets during the 1980s.  Certainly his athletic achievements make him a very worthy choice for the Atlanta Athletics Hall of Fame class of 2021.

Born in the small community of Shiloh just 6 miles out of Atlanta, Phillip as the middle son faced early competition from his 6 brothers and other talented athletes in that rural location.  Small in stature he just outran everyone.  His speed carved his career all the way through high school, college and the NFL.  During his pro days he was listed at 5’-10” and 165 lbs.  I think that was a generous sizing.

He sure wanted to play football beginning in Atlanta’s middle school.  However, after practice there was only one method of transportation back to Shiloh - hoof it, all 6 miles.  Soon drivers began to notice him along highway 59 and gave him rides to the roadside park turn off near Shiloh.  Entering high school his fast play earned him an outstanding career with the Rabbits.  He played football, ran track and was on the basketball team until his senior year when a knee injury forced him to leave the hardwoods.

On the gridiron his speed got everyone’s attention.  Epps was notorious for running back kickoffs and punts for touchdowns and took back an opponent’s short field goal try and put 6 points on the board for the Rabbs.  Most fans don’t realize that he was a free safety on defense and loved playing on that side of the ball.  Former Rabbit coach Barron Christensen recalled an example of how Phillip handled his defensive duties.  With Atlanta leading Daingerfield 6-3 late in a ball game it appeared a Tiger pass to a wide open tight end would sink the Rabbs.  Suddenly almost as a blur Epps flashed across the open ground and arrived at the same time as the ball did. With a jarring hit he knocked the ball loose and cinched victory for the Maroon and White.

Track was a love for Phillip and he represented the Runnin’ Rabbs in speedy style.  As a 15 year-old he set a National record for that age group in the 200 meter dash.  From there he set marks all over East Texas to include a Regional record and his performance in the 200 still stands as the Atlanta Rabbits all time best at 21.0.  Speed earned him second place at the State meet in both the 100 and 200 meters.  Many observers say he ran the curve portion of the 200 as fast as anyone.

Epps was well recruited out of high school but only one school would let him play football and also run track - TCU.  That decision turned out real well for both he and the Horned Frogs.  Just as he had in high school, Phillip had great days both on the football field and track.  As a Rabbit he got little chance to have the ball thrown his way but in college wide receiver was his spot.  That speed also made him the kickoff and punt returner.  Against the Rice Owls Phillip returned a kickoff 100 yards and set a stadium record.  For the Frogs he averaged 20 yards per catch in both 1980 and 1981 and racked up 1228 yards receiving in his college career.

His track career for the Frogs may have outdone his football feats.  Epps was twice the Southwest Conference 200 meter champ while running a leg on some very talented 400 meter relay teams.  In 1982 he zoomed to a 20.19 time in the 200 meters which was the world’s second fastest time.  

His speed earned a spot in the late rounds of the NFL draft as the Green Bay Packers under Coach Bart Starr selected the small speedster from Shiloh.  However, Phillip was at Duke University with the USA track team training for a European tour.  When the Packers call came he informed the USA track coach.  He was quickly told that his size would preclude a professional football career and that he should concentrate on a world class track plan.  That was the wrong advice.  Phillip did not buy the “can’t do” advice and headed for Green Bay.  The Packers saw him mainly as a kickoff and punt returner who could not handle the pounding a receiver gets.  Epps led the Packers in punt and kickoff returns for his first three years but soon earned a wide receiver spot.

The rest is history as his pro career is very notable.  Playing 7 years for the Pack and finishing in 1989 with the New York Jets he caught 200 passes and scored 16 touchdowns.  Playing in 95 pro games he also ran back 95 punts and in one stretch had a 20.2 return average in 34 returns.  A hamstring injury, broken wrist and a broken ankle gave him notice it was time to retire after the 1989 season.

In describing his pro football career Philip said, “The guys were a lot bigger than I was but I felt no one was faster.  Football is a game of contact and courage and it tests you every day.  I wasn’t afraid of the contact.”  Epps credits Mike Haynes and Lester Hayes of the Oakland Raiders as the toughest defenders he played against.  Both had long arms and had a better chance of slowing his speed before he got off the line of scrimmage.  He remembers a solid hit by Chicago Bear linebacker Mike Singletary as the hardest during his NFL days.

The weekend TV off season special competition for the NFL’s fastest man was a fun thing and gave him some spending money with the prize.  He won the title and twice  was second in photo finishes with the Washington Redskins Darell Green.  
The race was a 60-yard dash.

Upon retirement Phillip returned to a job he held in the off season with the Tarrant County Probation office in Fort Worth and recently retired there after 19 years.  Phillip and his wife Janice reside in Grand Prairie.  They are the parents of  three daughters, Shunta, Rachael, and Alexis and son Jordan. 

One of the most successful Atlanta Rabbit athletes ever, he is a member of the TCU and Green Bay Packers Halls of Fame and now takes his place in his hometown Atlanta Athletics Hall of Fame.  He represents the decade of the 1970s as a former Rabbit star.