1978 NFL season

1978 NFL season
Regular season
DurationSeptember 2 –
December 18, 1978
Playoffs
Start dateDecember 24, 1978
AFC ChampionsPittsburgh Steelers
NFC ChampionsDallas Cowboys
Super Bowl XIII
DateJanuary 21, 1979
SiteOrange Bowl, Miami
ChampionsPittsburgh Steelers
Pro Bowl
DateJanuary 29, 1979
SiteLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
1978 NFL season is located in the United States
Colts
Colts
Patriots
Patriots
Bills
Bills
Dolphins
Dolphins
Jets
Jets
Bengals
Bengals
Browns
Browns
Oilers
Oilers
Steelers
Steelers
Broncos
Broncos
Chiefs
Chiefs
Raiders
Raiders
Chargers
Chargers
Seahawks
Seahawks
AFC teams: West, Central, East
1978 NFL season is located in the United States
Cowboys
Cowboys
Giants
Giants
Eagles
Eagles
Cardinals
Cardinals
Redskins
Redskins
Bears
Bears
Lions
Lions
Packers
Packers
Vikings
Vikings
Buccaneers
Buccaneers
Falcons
Falcons
Rams
Rams
Saints
Saints
49ers
49ers
NFC teams: West, Central, East
Oilers quarterback Dan Pastorini in the 1978 AFC wild card game

The 1978 NFL season was the 59th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded the regular season from a 14-game schedule to 16 games, which it remained in place until 2021 when it was increased to 17 games. Furthermore, the playoff format was expanded from 8 teams to 10 teams by adding another wild card from each conference. The wild card teams played each other, with the winner advancing to the playoff round of eight teams.[1]

The season ended with Super Bowl XIII when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Dallas Cowboys at the Orange Bowl in Miami.

The average salary for a player in 1978 was under $62,600, up 13.2 percent over the previous year. Fran Tarkenton was the highest-paid quarterback at $360,000 and running back O. J. Simpson was the highest paid player, at just under $733,400.[2]

  1. ^ "NFL expands season, increases playoff berths in 1978 changes". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). Associated Press. March 30, 1977. p. 30.
  2. ^ "Who makes the money". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. wire services. February 9, 1979. p. 2C.