1979 NFL season
Encyclopedia
The 1979 NFL season was the 60th regular season of the National Football League
. The season ended with Super Bowl XIV
when the Pittsburgh Steelers
defeated the Los Angeles Rams
. It was also the 20th anniversary of the American Football League.
– clinched wild card
berth, – clinched division title
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. The season ended with Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
when the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
defeated the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
. It was also the 20th anniversary of the American Football League.
Major rule changes
- Whenever the quarterback is sacked, the clock will be stopped for at least five seconds and then restarted again.
- If a fair catch is made, or signaled and awarded to a team because of interference, on the last play of a half, the period can be extended and the team can run one play from scrimmage or attempt a fair catch kickFair catch kickThe fair catch kick is a rarely used rule in some forms of American football that allows a team, after making a fair catch of an opponent's kick, to attempt a field goal freely from the spot of the catch. It is one of the three types of free kicks; the other two are the kickoff and the safety kick...
. - Defensive linemen can wear numbers 90 to 99.
- Centers are included as the interior offensive linemen in the uniform numbering system.
- Players are prohibited from wearing torn or altered equipment. Tear-away jerseys are banned.
- During kickoffs, punts, and field goal attempts, players on the receiving team cannot block below the waist.
- The zone in which crackback blocks are prohibited is extended from 3 yards on either side of the line of scrimmage to 5.
- Players cannot use their helmets to butt, spear, or ram an opponent. Any player who uses the crown or the top of his helmet unnecessarily will be called for unnecessary roughness.
- In order to prevent incidents such as the Holy Roller game, the following change is made: If an offensive player fumbles during a fourth down play, or during any down played after the two minute warning in a half, only the fumbling player can recover and/or advance the ball. This change is known as the "Ken StablerKen StablerKenneth "Kenny" Michael Stabler , is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders , the Houston Oilers , and the New Orleans Saints...
rule" after the Oakland Raiders quarterback who made the infamous play in the Holy Roller game. - Referees were outfitted with black identifying hats, while all other officialOfficial (American football)In American football, an official is a person who has responsibility in enforcing the rules and maintaining the order of the game.During professional and college football games, seven officials operate on the field...
s continued to wear white hats. - For the first time, each official's position was identified on his shirt. The position was abbreviated on the front pocket of the shirt and then spelled out on the back above the number.
- The numbering system for officials was altered, with officials numbered separately by position rather than as an entire group, making duplicate numbers among officials common.
Division Races
Starting in 1978, ten teams qualified for the playoffs: the winners of each of the divisions, and two wild-card teams in each conference.National Football Conference
| Week | NFC East NFC East The NFC East is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins.... |
NFC Central | NFC West NFC West The NFC West is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: Arizona Cardinals, St... |
Wild Card Wild card (sports) The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:... |
Wild Card Wild card (sports) The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:... |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... , Philadelphia Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
1–0 | 3 teams | 1–0 | Atlanta Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
1–0 | ||||
| 2 | Dallas | 2–0 | Tampa Bay Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West... , Chicago Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
2–0 | Atlanta | 2–0 | ||||
| 3 | Dallas | 3–0 | Tampa Bay | 3–0 | Atlanta, L.A. | 2–1 | ||||
| 4 | Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
3–1 | Tampa Bay | 4–0 | Atlanta, L.A. | 2–2 | Chicago | 2–2 | Minnesota Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
2–2 |
| 5 | Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington | 4–1 | Tampa Bay | 5–0 | L.A. | 3–2 | Minnesota | 3–2 | 4 teams | 2–3 |
| 6 | Dallas, Philadelphia | 5–1 | Tampa Bay | 5–1 | L.A. | 4–2 | Washington | 4–2 | 3 teams | 3–3 |
| 7 | Dallas, Philadelphia | 6–1 | Tampa Bay | 5–2 | L.A. | 4–3 | Washington | 5–2 | 5 teams | 3–4 |
| 8 | Dallas | 7–1 | Tampa Bay | 6–2 | L.A., New Orleans New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
4–4 | Philadelphia, Washington | 6–2 | Minnesota | 4–4 |
| 9 | Dallas | 7–2 | Tampa Bay | 7–2 | L.A. | 5–4 | Philadelphia, Washington | 6–3 | 4 teams | 4–5 |
| 10 | Dallas | 8–2 | Tampa Bay | 7–3 | L.A., New Orleans | 5–5 | Philadelphia, Washington | 6–4 | Chicago | 5–5 |
| 11 | Dallas | 8–3 | Tampa Bay | 8–3 | New Orleans | 6–5 | Philadelphia, Washington | 7–4 | Chicago | 6–5 |
| 12 | Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington | 8–4 | Tampa Bay | 9–3 | L.A., New Orleans | 6–6 | Chicago | 7–5 | Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... , Minnesota |
5–7 |
| 13 | Philadelphia | 9–4 | Tampa Bay | 9–4 | L.A., New Orleans | 7–6 | Dallas, Washington | 8–5 | Chicago | 7–6 |
| 14 | Philadelphia | 10–4 | Tampa Bay | 9–5 | L.A. | 8–6 | Dallas, Washington | 9–5 | Chicago | 8–6 |
| 15 | Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington | 10–5 | Tampa Bay, Chicago | 9–6 | L.A. | 9–6 | Minnesota, New Orleans | 8–7 | Giants | 6–9 |
| 16 | Dallas | 11–5 | Tampa Bay | 10–6 | L.A. | 9–7 | Philadelphia | 11–5 | Chicago | 10–6 |
American Football Conference
| Week | AFC East AFC East The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. There are four members: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots , and New York Jets... |
AFC Central | AFC West AFC West The AFC West is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference, currently comprising the Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Oakland Raiders.-History:... |
Wild Card Wild card (sports) The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:... |
Wild Card Wild card (sports) The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:... |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
1–0 | 3 teams | 1–0 | 4 teams | 1–0 | ||||
| 2 | Miami | 2–0 | Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... , Cleveland Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
2–0 | San Diego San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
2–0 | ||||
| 3 | Miami | 3–0 | Pittsburgh, Cleveland | 3–0 | San Diego | 3–0 | New England New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... , Houston, Denver Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
2–1 | ||
| 4 | Miami | 4–0 | Pittsburgh, Cleveland | 4–0 | San Diego, Denver | 3–1 | New England, Houston | 3–1 | Buffalo Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... , Kansas City Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... |
2–2 |
| 5 | Miami | 4–1 | Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Houston | 4–1 | San Diego | 4–1 | New England, Denver, Buffalo, Kansas City | 3–2 | Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... , Oakland Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
2–3 |
| 6 | Miami, New England | 4–2 | Pittsburgh | 5–1 | San Diego, Denver, Kansas City | 4–2 | Cleveland, Houston | 4–2 | Buffalo, Oakland | 3–3 |
| 7 | Miami, New England | 5–2 | Pittsburgh, Houston | 5–2 | San Diego, Denver | 5–2 | Cleveland, Kansas City, Oakland | 4–3 | Buffalo, Jets | 3–4 |
| 8 | New England | 6–2 | Pittsburgh | 6–2 | San Diego | 6–2 | Miami, Cleveland, Houston, Denver | 5–3 | Jets, Kansas City, Oakland | 4–4 |
| 9 | Miami, New England | 6–3 | Pittsburgh | 7–2 | San Diego, Denver | 6–3 | Cleveland, Houston | 6–3 | Oakland | 5–4 |
| 10 | New England | 7–3 | Pittsburgh | 8–2 | San Diego, Denver | 7–3 | Cleveland, Houston | 7–3 | Miami, Oakland | 6–4 |
| 11 | Miami, New England | 7–4 | Pittsburgh | 9–2 | San Diego, Denver | 8–3 | Houston | 8–3 | Cleveland | 7–4 |
| 12 | New England | 8–4 | Pittsburgh, Houston | 9–3 | San Diego, Denver | 9–3 | Cleveland | 8–4 | Miami | 7–5 |
| 13 | Miami, New England | 8–5 | Pittsburgh, Houston | 10–3 | San Diego | 10–3 | Denver | 9–4 | Cleveland | 8–5 |
| 14 | Miami | 9–5 | Pittsburgh | 11–3 | San Diego, Denver | 10–4 | Houston | 10–4 | Cleveland | 9–5 |
| 15 | Miami | 10–5 | Pittsburgh, Houston | 11–4 | San Diego | 11–4 | Denver | 10–5 | Cleveland, Oakland | 9–6 |
| 16 | Miami | 10–6 | Pittsburgh | 12–4 | San Diego | 12–4 | Houston | 11–5 | Denver | 10–6 |
Final standings
W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT = Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against– clinched wild card
Wild card (sports)
The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...
berth, – clinched division title
Tiebreakers
- San Diego was the top AFC playoff seed based on head-to-head victory over Pittsburgh (1–0).
- Seattle finished ahead of Oakland in the AFC West based on head-to-head sweep (2–0).
- Dallas finished ahead of Philadelphia in the NFC East based on better conference record (10–2 to Eagles' 9–3).
- Tampa Bay finished ahead of Chicago in the NFC Central based on a better division record (6–2 to Bears' 5–3).
- Chicago was the second NFC Wild Card ahead of Washington based on better net points in all games (57 to Redskins' 53).
AFC
- Wild-Card playoff: HOUSTON 13, Denver 7
- Divisional playoffs: Houston 17, SAN DIEGO 14; PITTSBURGH 34, Miami 14
- AFC Championship: PITTSBURGH 27, Houston 13 at Three Rivers StadiumThree Rivers StadiumThree Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...
, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, January 6, 1980
NFC
- Wild-Card playoff: PHILADELPHIA 27, Chicago 17
- Divisional playoffs: TAMPA BAY 24, Philadelphia 17; Los Angeles 21, DALLAS 19
- NFC Championship: Los Angeles 9, TAMPA BAY 0 at Tampa Stadium, TampaTâmpaTâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, January 6, 1980
Super Bowl
- Super Bowl XIVSuper Bowl XIVSuper Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
: Pittsburgh (AFC) 31, Los Angeles (NFC) 19, at Rose BowlRose Bowl (stadium)The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pasadena, California, U.S., in Los Angeles County. The stadium is the site of the annual college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl, held on New Year's Day. In 1982, it became the home field of the UCLA Bruins college football team of the Pac-12...
, Pasadena, CaliforniaPasadena, CaliforniaPasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, January 20, 1980
Awards
| Most Valuable Player NFL Most Valuable Player Award The National Football League Most Valuable Player Award is given by various entities, most notably the Associated Press , to the player who is considered most valuable in the league. When the award is referred to without mentioning the organization, it generally means the AP award. The AP NFL MVP... |
Earl Campbell Earl Campbell Earl Christian Campbell , nicknamed The Tyler Rose, is a former professional American Football running back. He, Paul Hornung and O.J Simpson are the only people to have won the Heisman Trophy , were first overall National Football League draft picks and are in both the Pro Football Hall of Fame... , Running Back Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... , Houston Oilers |
| Coach of the Year NFL Coach of the Year Award The National Football League Coach of the Year Award is presented annually by various news and sports organizations to the NFL head coach who has done the most outstanding job of working with the talent he has at his disposal. Currently, the most widely recognized award is presented by the... |
Jack Pardee Jack Pardee -NFL:-External links:... , Washington |
| Offensive Player of the Year NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award The NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award is given annually by the Associated Press to the offensive player of the National Football League believed to have had the most outstanding season... |
Earl Campbell Earl Campbell Earl Christian Campbell , nicknamed The Tyler Rose, is a former professional American Football running back. He, Paul Hornung and O.J Simpson are the only people to have won the Heisman Trophy , were first overall National Football League draft picks and are in both the Pro Football Hall of Fame... , Running Back Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... , Houston Oilers |
| Defensive Player of the Year NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award The NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is given by the Associated Press to the league's most outstanding defensive player at the end of every NFL season since 1971. Multiple-award winners include Lawrence Taylor, who won it three times, and Joe Greene, Mike Singletary, Bruce Smith, Reggie... |
Lee Roy Selmon Lee Roy Selmon Lee Roy Selmon was a Hall of Fame NFL football defensive lineman.-Early life:Selmon was the youngest of nine children of Lucious and Jessie Selmon, raised on a farm near Eufaula, Oklahoma... , Defensive End Defensive end Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years... , Tampa Bay |
| Offensive Rookie of the Year | Ottis Anderson Ottis Anderson Ottis Jerome "O.J." Anderson is a former American football running back. He was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1979, and the MVP of Super Bowl XXV in 1991 when playing with the New York Giants... , Running Back Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... , St. Louis Cardinals |
| Defensive Rookie of the Year | Jim Haslett Jim Haslett James Donald "Jim" Haslett is an American football coach and former linebacker. He is currently the defensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins. Previously, he served as the head coach for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League, and the New Orleans Saints and St... , Linebacker Linebacker A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen... , Buffalo |