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.

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 (now field 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

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

American Football Conference

Final standings

Tiebreakers

Playoffs

Statistical leaders

Team

Awards

Coaching changes

Offseason

In-season

Uniform changes

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. 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. John Madden, who retired as Oakland Raiders coach following the previous season, was hired by CBS. He remained with CBS through 1993, when it lost the NFC package to FOX.