1979 NFL season

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 repeated as champions by defeating the Los Angeles Rams 31–19 at the Rose Bowl. The Steelers became the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls twice.^[1][2]

1979 National Football League season

Regular season
Duration	September 1 – December 17, 1979
Playoffs
Start date	December 23, 1979
AFC Champions	Pittsburgh Steelers
NFC Champions	Los Angeles Rams
Super Bowl XIV
Date	January 20, 1980
Site	Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
Champions	Pittsburgh Steelers
Pro Bowl
Date	January 27, 1980
Site	Aloha Stadium
← 1978 NFL seasons 1980 →

Colts

Patriots

Bills

Dolphins

Jets

Bengals

Browns

Oilers

Steelers

Broncos

Chiefs

Raiders

Chargers

Seahawks

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AFC teams: West, Central, East

Cowboys

Giants

Eagles

Cardinals

Redskins

Bears

Lions

Packers

Vikings

Buccaneers

Falcons

Rams

Saints

49ers

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NFC teams: West, Central, East

The Steelers playing the Rams in Super Bowl XIV.

Draft

The 1979 NFL Draft was held from May 3 to 4, 1979 at New York City's Waldorf Astoria New York. With the first pick, the Buffalo Bills selected linebacker Tom Cousineau from the Ohio State University.

New Officials

Jerry Seeman was promoted to referee succeeding Don Wedge who returned to being a deep wing official, primarily as a back judge, where he continued to officiate through 1995. Seeman served as a crew chief for 12 seasons, working Super Bowl XXIII and Super Bowl XXV before leaving the field to succeed Art McNally as NFL Vice President of Officiating from 1991 to 2001.

Major rule changes

• Whenever the quarterback is sacked, the clock will be stopped for at least five seconds and then restarted again. (The stoppage was eliminated effective the 2014 NFL season.)
• If a fair catch is made, or signaled and awarded to a team because of interference, on the last play of a half or overtime, the period can be extended and the team can run one play from scrimmage or attempt a fair catch kick.
• The league's jersey numbering system was modified to allow defensive linemen wear numbers 90 to 99, in addition to 60 to 79. And centers were allowed to wear 60–79, in addition to 50 to 59.
• 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 or overtime, only the fumbling player can recover and/or advance the ball. This change is known as the "Ken Stabler rule" after the Oakland Raiders quarterback who made the infamous play in the Holy Roller game.^[3] In officiating circles, it's known as the "Markbreit rule" after Jerry Markbreit, who was the referee for that game.
• Uprights were extended to 30 feet above the crossbar.

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 Central		NFC West		Wild Card		Wild Card
1	Dallas, Philadelphia	1–0	3 teams	1–0	Atlanta	1–0
2	Dallas	2–0	Tampa Bay, Chicago	2–0	Atlanta	2–0
3	Dallas	3–0	Tampa Bay	3–0	Atlanta, L.A.	2–1
4	Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington	3–1	Tampa Bay	4–0	Atlanta, L.A.	2–2	Chicago	2–2	Minnesota	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	4–4	Philadelphia, Washington	6–2	Minnesota	4–4
9	Dallas	7–2	Tampa Bay	7–2	New Orleans	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, 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	7–8	Giants	6–9
16	Dallas	11–5	Tampa Bay	10–6	Los Angeles	9–7	Philadelphia	11–5	Chicago	10–6

American Football Conference

Week	AFC East		AFC Central		AFC West		Wild Card		Wild Card
1	Miami	1–0	3 teams	1–0	4 teams	1–0
2	Miami	2–0	Pittsburgh, Cleveland	2–0	San Diego	2–0
3	Miami	3–0	Pittsburgh, Cleveland	3–0	San Diego	3–0	3 teams	2–1
4	Miami	4–0	Pittsburgh, Cleveland	4–0	San Diego, Denver	3–1	New England, Houston	3–1	Buffalo, Kansas City	2–2
5	Miami	4–1	Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Houston	4–1	San Diego	4–1	4 teams	3–2	Jets, Oakland	2–3
6	Miami, N.E.	4–2	Pittsburgh	5–1	S.D., Denver, Kansas City	4–2	Cleveland, Houston	4–2	Buffalo, Oakland	3–3
7	Miami, N.E.	5–2	Pittsburgh, Houston	5–2	San Diego, Denver	5–2	3 teams	4–3	Buffalo, Jets	3–4
8	New England	6–2	Pittsburgh	6–2	San Diego	6–2	4 teams	5–3	3 teams	4–4
9	Miami, N.E.	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	Denver	7–3	Houston	7–3	Cleveland, San Diego	7-3
11	New England	7–4	Pittsburgh	9–2	Denver	8–3	Houston	8–3	San Diego	8-3
12	New England	8–4	Pittsburgh	9–3	Denver	9–3	Houston	9-3	San Diego	9-3
13	New England	8–5	Pittsburgh	10–3	San Diego	10–3	Houston	10-3	Denver	9-4
14	Miami	9–5	Pittsburgh	11–3	Denver	10–4	Houston, San Diego	10–4	Houston, San Diego	10-4
15	Miami	10–5	Houston	11–4	San Diego	11–4	Pittsburgh	11–4	Denver	10-5
16	Miami	10–6	Pittsburgh	12–4	San Diego	12–4	Houston	11–5	Denver	10–6

Final standings

AFC East view talk edit W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK Miami Dolphins^(3) 10 6 0 .625 5–3 6–6 341 257 L1 New England Patriots 9 7 0 .563 4–4 6–6 411 326 W1 New York Jets 8 8 0 .500 4–4 5–7 337 383 W3 Buffalo Bills 7 9 0 .438 4–4 5–7 268 279 L3 Baltimore Colts 5 11 0 .313 3–5 4–10 271 351 W1 AFC Central view talk edit W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK Pittsburgh Steelers^(2) 12 4 0 .750 4–2 9–3 416 262 W1 Houston Oilers^(4) 11 5 0 .688 4–2 9–3 362 331 L1 Cleveland Browns 9 7 0 .563 2–4 6–6 359 352 L2 Cincinnati Bengals 4 12 0 .250 2–4 2–10 337 421 W1 AFC West view talk edit W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK San Diego Chargers^(1) 12 4 0 .750 6–2 9–3 411 246 W2 Denver Broncos^(5) 10 6 0 .625 4–4 7–5 289 262 L2 Seattle Seahawks 9 7 0 .563 3–5 6–6 378 372 W2 Oakland Raiders 9 7 0 .563 3–5 5–7 365 337 L1 Kansas City Chiefs 7 9 0 .438 4–4 7–7 238 262 L1

NFC East view talk edit W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK Dallas Cowboys^(1) 11 5 0 .688 6–2 10–2 371 313 W3 Philadelphia Eagles^(4) 11 5 0 .688 6–2 9–3 339 282 W1 Washington Redskins 10 6 0 .625 5–3 8–4 348 295 L1 New York Giants 6 10 0 .375 1–7 5–9 237 323 L3 St. Louis Cardinals 5 11 0 .313 2–6 4–8 307 358 L1 NFC Central view talk edit W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK Tampa Bay Buccaneers^(2) 10 6 0 .625 6–2 8–6 273 237 W1 Chicago Bears^(5) 10 6 0 .625 5–3 8–4 306 249 W3 Minnesota Vikings 7 9 0 .438 5–3 6–6 259 337 L1 Green Bay Packers 5 11 0 .313 3–5 4–8 246 316 W1 Detroit Lions 2 14 0 .125 1–7 2–10 219 365 L3 NFC West view talk edit W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK Los Angeles Rams^(3) 9 7 0 .563 5–1 7–5 323 309 L1 New Orleans Saints 8 8 0 .500 4–2 8–4 370 360 W1 Atlanta Falcons 6 10 0 .375 2–4 5–7 300 388 W1 San Francisco 49ers 2 14 0 .125 1–5 2–10 308 416 L1

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 Philadelphia's 9–3).
• Tampa Bay finished ahead of Chicago in the NFC Central based on better division record (6–2 to Chicago's 5–3).
• Chicago was the second NFC Wild Card ahead of Washington based on better net points in all games (+57 to Washington's 53).

Playoffs

 

The Buccaneers playing against the Eagles in 1979 NFC Divisional Playoff Game.

Main article: 1979–80 NFL playoffs

						Dec 30 – Texas Stadium
						3	Los Angeles	21
	Dec 23 – Veterans Stadium										Jan 6 – Tampa Stadium
						1*	Dallas	19
						NFC
	5	Chicago	17								3	Los Angeles	9
						Dec 29 – Tampa Stadium
	4	Philadelphia	27								2	Tampa Bay	0
											NFC Championship
						4	Philadelphia	17
																Jan 20 – Rose Bowl
						2*	Tampa Bay	24
						Divisional playoffs
	Wild Card playoffs															N3	Los Angeles	19
						Dec 29 – San Diego Stadium
																A2	Pittsburgh	31
																Super Bowl XIV
						4	Houston	17
	Dec 23 – Astrodome										Jan 6 – Three Rivers Stadium
						1	San Diego	14
						AFC
	5	Denver	7								4	Houston	13
						Dec 30 – Three Rivers Stadium
	4	Houston	13								2	Pittsburgh	27
											AFC Championship
						3	Miami	14
						2	Pittsburgh	34

Note: The Dallas Cowboys (the NFC 1 seed) did not play the Philadelphia Eagles (the 4 seed) in the Divisional playoff round because both teams were in the same division.

This box:

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Statistical leaders

Team

Points scored	Pittsburgh Steelers (416)
Total yards gained	Pittsburgh Steelers (6,258)
Yards rushing	New York Jets (2,646)
Yards passing	San Diego Chargers (3,915)
Fewest points allowed	Tampa Bay Buccaneers (237)
Fewest total yards allowed	Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3,949)
Fewest rushing yards allowed	Denver Broncos (1,693)
Fewest passing yards allowed	Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2,076)

Awards

Most Valuable Player	Earl Campbell, running back, Houston Oilers
Coach of the Year	Jack Pardee, Washington
Offensive Player of the Year	Earl Campbell, running back, Houston Oilers
Defensive Player of the Year	Lee Roy Selmon, defensive end, Tampa Bay
Offensive Rookie of the Year	Ottis Anderson, running back, St. Louis Cardinals
Defensive Rookie of the Year	Jim Haslett, linebacker, Buffalo
Man of the Year Award	Joe Greene, defensive tackle, Pittsburgh
Comeback Player of the Year	Larry Csonka, running back, Miami
Super Bowl Most Valuable Player	Terry Bradshaw, quarterback, Pittsburgh

Coaching changes

Offseason

• Cincinnati Bengals: Homer Rice began his first full season as the team's head coach. He replaced Bill Johnson after the Bengals started the 1978 season at 0–5.
• Oakland Raiders: John Madden retired and was replaced by Tom Flores.
• New England Patriots: Ron Erhardt was named as permanent head coach. The team had suspended Chuck Fairbanks for the last regular season game in 1978. Fairbanks had been in talks all that season to join the University of Colorado Buffaloes, breaching his contract with the Patriots. Coordinators Erhardt and Hank Bullough took over as co-interim head coaches for that final 1978 game. Fairbanks was reinstated as head coach two weeks later for the Divisional Playoffs, but left in the off-season to join Colorado.
• New York Giants: John McVay was fired and replaced by Ray Perkins.
• San Diego Chargers: Don Coryell began his first full season as Chargers head coach. He replaced Tommy Prothro, who was fired after a 1–3 start in 1978.
• San Francisco 49ers: Bill Walsh was hired as the new 49ers head coach. Pete McCulley was fired after a 1–8 start in 1978, and Fred O'Connor served as interim for the last seven games.

In-season

• St. Louis Cardinals: Bud Wilkinson was fired after the team started the season at 3–10 for refusing to bench longtime starting quarterback Jim Hart in favor of Steve Pisarciewicz. Personnel director Larry Wilson, a Hall of Fame safety for the team from 1960-72 and later the franchise's general manager, served as interim for the last three games.

Uniform changes

• Several changes were made to the officiating uniforms, including:
  • Referees were outfitted with black identifying hats, while all other officials continued to wear white hats. This was the same as the Canadian Football League at the time, but the opposite of American high school and college football.
  • 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 (3 through 20) rather than as an entire group, making duplicate numbers among officials common.
• The TV numbers on the Dallas Cowboys' blue jerseys moved from the sleeves to the shoulders, matching the white jerseys, which moved the TV numbers to the shoulders in 1974.
• The New York Giants began wearing their white pants with their white jerseys, discontinuing their blue pants
• The Washington Redskins replaced their gold pants with burgundy pants with their white jerseys and white pants with their burgundy jerseys. The shade of burgundy was also darkened.
• The San Diego Chargers replaced the blue and white stripe on the yellow pants with a white lightning bolt outlined in blue.

Television

This was the second year under the league's four-year broadcast contracts with ABC, CBS, and NBC to televise Monday Night Football, the NFC package, and the AFC package, respectively.

Fran Tarkenton began serving as a fill-in color commentator for ABC, while Bryant Gumbel became the sole host of NBC's pregame show NFL '79.^[4]

Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen replaced Curt Gowdy and John Brodie as NBC's lead commentary team. Rather than demote Gowdy, NBC traded him away to CBS for Don Criqui. With Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier remaining as CBS' lead commentary team, and Vin Scully and George Allen as the #2 team, Gowdy was paired with Hank Stram as the network's #3 team.^[5]

Deaths

February

• February 26- Urban Henry, Age 43, Defensive Tackle for the Los Angeles Rams in 1961, the Green Bay Packers in 1963, and Pittsburgh Steelers in 1964.

March

• March 10- Beattie Feathers, age 69, Running Back for the Chicago Bears from 1934-1937, Brooklyn Dodgers from 1938-1939, and Green Bay Packers in 1940. First player in NFL history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season (1,004)in 1934.

June

• June 22- Troy Archer, age 24, Defensive Tackle for the New York Giants from 1976-1978

October

• October 5- Ken Strong, age 73, Receiver, Defensive Back, and Placekicker for the Staten Island Stapletons from 1929-1932, and New York Giants from 1933-1947. Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967.

Notes

1. "Colts open Super Bowl defense". September 6, 2007. the Steelers, the only team to ever repeat twice as Super Bowl champions
2. . Steelers.com. Archived from the original on February 18, 2010. Retrieved September 21, 2014. Yet another standard was set the following year when the 1979 Steelers defeated the Los Angeles Rams, 31-19, in Super Bowl XIV to make them ... the only team to win back-to-back Super Bowls twice
3. Rules of the Name, or How The Emmitt Rule Became The Emmitt Rule September 30, 2010, at the Wayback Machine (URL last accessed March 1, 2006)
4. Brulia, Tim. "A CHRONOLOGY OF PRO FOOTBALL ON TELEVISION: Part 2" (PDF). Pro Football Researchers.
5. "Once upon a time, NBC traded Curt Gowdy for Don Criqui". Awful Announcing. October 8, 2014.

References

• NFL Record and Fact Book (ISBN 1-932994-36-X)
• (Last accessed December 4, 2005)
• Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (ISBN 0-06-270174-6)