15 Most Valuable 1978 Topps Football Cards

The 1978 Topps football card set offers one of the most well-balanced checklists of the vintage era in terms of great design, key rookie cards and star power.

Yet it still seems to fly under the radar...

The Tony Dorsett rookie is the most recognizable card in the set and one of the most valuable football cards of any era.

And, there are several other big-name rookie cards and plenty of Hall of Famers to collect.

Though I think this set is often under-appreciated, there are plenty of cards within it that can fetch big price tags in today's market.

And in this guide, I'll run through the fifteen most valuable.

Let's jump right in!

1978 Topps #315 Tony Dorsett Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $1,000

Following up on a stellar rookie season is hard.

Following up on a breakout first year where you’re almost a unanimous selection for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year is even more challenging.

But, young Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett was up to the task in 1978.

After rushing for over 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns in his maiden NFL voyage, Dorsett was an even bigger focal point of the Cowboys’ attack in 1978.

His touches increased by nearly 38% to 327 in his first season as a full-time starter.

Naturally, his total yardage increased as well, as he finished the 1978 NFL regular season with 290 rushes for 1,325 yards and seven touchdowns.

He also caught 37 balls for 378 yards and two scores, including a highlight-reel 91-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown.

In the postseason, Dorsett eclipsed 100 yards rushing in Dallas’ 28-0 romp over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game, including a score and a 53-yard scamper.

And he was the brightest spot in the team’s heartbreaking 35-31 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XIII, accounting for 140 of the team’s 330 yards from scrimmage.

For his efforts in 1978, Dorsett earned his first of four career Pro Bowl selections and a spot on UPI’s All-NFC First Team squad.

1978 Topps #200 Walter Payton

Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $400

One year removed from one of the greatest seasons by a running back in NFL history, “Sweetness” continued to be a pure sugar rush for Chicago Bears fans everywhere.

The Bears regressed in 1978, falling to 7-9 and out of the playoffs.

And technically, Walter Payton regressed too from the lofty heights of his MVP campaign a year before.

However, that regression is purely relative as he rushed for 1,395 yards in 1978, his third-straight season with 1,390 rushing yards or more.

He led all of football in rushes (333), touches (383), and yards from scrimmage (1875).

Payton also doubled down on his duties as a receiving back, posting career highs in receptions (50) and receiving yards (480) that would stand until his 1983 campaign.

And while the rest of the Bears seemed to tightrope weekly on the brink of disarray, Payton became even more reliable, cutting his fumbles down from 11 the previous year to five.

In short, Payton shouldered an increased load with trademark grace in 1978.

It wasn’t the once-in-a-generation performance of a year prior, but it was a worthy encore.

1978 Topps #287 Joe Klecko Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $175

Before the New York Sack Exchange had its opening bell, defensive tackle/defensive end Joe Klecko was a fundamental building block for a New York Jets franchise looking for new life.

Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, the Jets had yet to post a winning season.

Furthermore, they were coming off three dismal 3-11 campaigns in a row heading into the 1978 NFL season.

A sixth-round pick who’d eventually grow to become one of the top pass rushers of the early 1980s, Klecko was inconsistent at best in 1978.

He posted eight sacks for the second-straight season to start his career but often looked lost against the run or when he dropped back to cover.

Lucky for the Jets, they had a balanced offensive attack that made for more shootouts than not throughout the year.

New York finished 8-8, without a winning record yet again, but with optimism for the future.

A couple of years later, Klecko would join Abdul Salaam, Mark Gastineau, and Marty Lyons to form the New York Sack Exchange, one of the greatest pass-rushing defensive line combinations of its era.

1978 Topps #290 Roger Staubach

Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $150

The end was near for legendary Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach in 1978, as head injuries would soon force him into retirement in the aftermath of the very next season.

But that was then.

In 1978, Staubach had a Super Bowl championship to defend and a team to lead.

A First-Team All-NFC selection by Pro Football Weekly and a Second-Team All-NFC selection by UPI, Staubach led the NFL in adjusted passing yards per attempt (7.2) and quarterback rating (84.9).

He eclipsed 3,000 yards passing for the first time in his career, throwing for 3,190 yards and 25 touchdowns against 16 interceptions.

Things got scary in the team's 27-20 Divisional Round win over the Atlanta Falcons, though, when Staubach was knocked out of the game in the third quarter by a vicious hit from linebacker Robert Pennywell.

It was concussion #18 of Staubach's career, but in classic Captain Comeback form, he returned the very next week.

After a solid performance in the team's 28-0 NFC title game win over the Rams, Staubach threw for 228 yards and three scores in Super Bowl XIII.

However, the consummate gunslinger was a bullet shy as the Cowboys fell to the Steelers by four.

1978 Topps #320 John Stallworth Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $150

After two years of playoff disappointments, the Pittsburgh Steelers recaptured Super Bowl magic in 1978-79 with their third title in five years.

And while hyper-athletic wide receiver John Stallworth contributed admirably to the team's previous Super Bowl runs in his first two professional seasons, he was one of the team's primary offensive weapons this time around.

Blending top-tier straight-line speed with the ability to jump over any defender, Stallworth posted new career highs with 798 receiving yards and nine receiving TDs.

His 19.5 yards per reception in 1978 was the third-best mark of his 14-year Hall-of-Fame career.

Stallworth's connection with 1978 NFL MVP and Super Bowl XIII MVP Terry Bradshaw was uncanny.

Understanding each other's tendencies and abilities helped the duo dissect opposing defenses seemingly at will.

Never was this more apparent than in Super Bowl XIII itself, in which two of Stallworth's three receptions resulted in big-play touchdowns, a 28-yard score and a momentum-shifting 75-yarder.

Stallworth finished the game with 115 receiving yards and ended the postseason with 288 receiving yards and four TD receptions.

1978 Topps #333 Rushing Leaders

Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $150

Oakland Raiders fullback Mark van Eeghan broke out in a big way during the 1976 season when he rushed for 1,012 yards and helped lead the team to a victory over the Vikings in Super Bowl XI.

The following season in 1977, the 25-year-old Massachusetts native led the AFC in rushing by racking up 1,273 yards on the ground.

Meanwhile, Walter Payton was playing out of his mind for the Chicago Bears as he rushed for a career-best 1,852 yards to lead the NFC and NFL by a vast margin.

1978 Topps #3 Walter Payton Highlight

Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $125

In Week 12 of the 1976 season, O.J. Simpson rushed for an eye-popping 273 yards on the road against the Detroit Lions to break his own record for most rushing yards in a single game.

Many thought the record would stand for years, if not forever.

But Walter Payton had a different opinion on the matter, and the very next season, he rushed for 275 yards during a 10-7 victory at home against the Minnesota Vikings.

Topps released this card as part of the six-card subset that highlighted different players' achievements during the 1977 season to celebrate Payton's memorable moment.

Payton's record stood much longer than Simpson's as it would take more than two decades for someone to break it when the Cincinnati Bengals' Corey Dillon rushed for 278 against the Broncos.

1978 Topps #65 Terry Bradshaw

Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $125

The 1978 season was arguably when Terry Bradshaw cemented his case for Canton.

Long derided as too simple, too unrefined, and too inconsistent to be a true A-level quarterback, the Pittsburgh Steelers signal-caller had already proven critics misguided in previous campaigns.

But, the 1978 NFL season is when Bradshaw truly flipped the script on his naysayers.

Named the league’s MVP and a consensus First-Team All-Pro, Bradshaw completed 56.3% of his passes for 2,915 yards, a league-leading 28 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions.

He also led all quarterbacks in passing yards per attempt (7.9) and touchdown percentage (7.6), shepherding Pittsburgh to a fifth-straight division title and a third Super Bowl appearance over a half-decade span.

With the offense clicking on cylinders and the Steel Curtain dropping on opposing attacks week-to-week, the Steelers finished the year 14-2 and a favorite to win it all.

Bradshaw played well in Pittsburgh’s first two postseason games before letting it all hang out in Super Bowl XIII against the Cowboys.

The Blonde Bomber went 17-for-30 on Super Sunday for 318 yards, four touchdowns, and a pick in the team’s 35-31 triumph.

He added another trophy to his jam-packed case, earning Super Bowl MVP honors.

1978 Topps #499 Dan Fouts

Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $125

A year away from the prime of his career, San Diego Chargers starting quarterback Dan Fouts provided a potent glimpse of things to come in 1978.

In 14 starts for the Chargers, Fouts went 9-5 to lead San Diego to its first winning record since the AFL-NFL merger.

It was a far cry from the 1977 season when Fouts sat out ten games for the Chargers in the middle of a contentious contract dispute.

However, with a new deal inked and plenty to prove, Fouts completed 58.8% of his passes for 2,999 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions.

The six-year pro led the NFL in passing yards per attempt (7.9), pushing the Chargers forward to within a game of their first NFL postseason.

Fouts would appear in all five Pro Bowls in the next five seasons and earned consensus First-Team All-Pro honors twice.

The 1978 NFL season was the jumping-off point for the future Hall-of-Famer, setting the stage for his ascent to stardom.

1978 Topps #429 Ed "Too Tall" Jones

Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $100

While defensive end Ed “Too Tall” Jones’ on-field exploits helped the Dallas Cowboys repeat as NFC champs following the 1978 NFL season, what he did in the following offseason makes his story unique.

After posting 9.5 sacks and starting every game for the Cowboys in 1978, Jones retired from the NFL to pursue a career as a professional boxer.

Born in Jackson, Tennessee, Jones had previously achieved success as a Golden Gloves boxer in his home state.

Standing six-foot-nine, weighing over 270 pounds, and blessed with plenty of charisma, Jones’ move to boxing was met with both raised eyebrows and plenty of publicity.

To his credit, Jones finished his one-year foray into the pro boxing world with a 6-0 record and five knockouts.

All six fights were broadcast nationally on CBS, including a 44-second knockout of former Mexican heavyweight champion Fernando Montes.

Jones hung up his gloves and returned to football in 1980, using his boxing excursion and associated training to up his game on the gridiron.

1978 Topps #217 Fred Dean Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $75

In eight seasons since joining the NFL in 1970, the San Diego Chargers had yet to post a winning record.

They had a prime opportunity to do so in 1977 but lost back-to-back gut-punch contests to finish the year at an even 7-7.

With the help of a high-wire passing attack and an opportunistic defense, the Chargers finally broke through in 1978.

And one of the biggest contributors to this rise towards contention was electric future Hall-of-Fame defensive end Fred Dean.

Dean's unique mixture of lateral quickness, horizontal burst, and pure mass terrorized opposing quarterbacks made him one of his generation's most feared pass rushers.

He occasionally struggled to temper his athletic gifts by dropping back in coverage or against the run, but his knack for finding the QB was essential for the Chargers' newfound success.

Dean finished the 1978 NFL season with 14.5 sacks making it the second-highest total of his 12-year Hall of Fame career.

The Chargers missed the playoffs yet finished with a 9-7 record to usher in a five-year run of winning seasons for a franchise that desperately needed a jolt.

1978 Topps #365 Ken Stabler

Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $75

Ken Stabler became a Raiders icon after leading the Oakland Raiders to its first Super Bowl victory in franchise history by throwing for 180 yards and one touchdown to beat the Vikings 32-14 in Super Bowl XI.

During his fifteen-year career, "Snake" would win one Super Bowl, be named MVP of the 1974 season, make four Pro Bowls, and lead the league in passing touchdowns twice (1974, 1976).

In 2016, he was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy as one of the most celebrated Raiders in team history.

Despite finishing the 1978 season with a winning 9-7 record, the Raiders failed to make the playoffs.

Stabler's 2,944 passing yards were the third-most of his career, but his 16 passing touchdowns reflected his lower-than-usual 3.9% touchdown percentage.

One thing that stood out for Stabler that season was the infamous "Holy Roller" play where his initial forward fumble led to other forward fumbles by his teammates before one of them recovered the ball in the end zone.

The sloppy play helped the Raiders seal a 21-20 victory over the Chargers but led to implementing the "Ken Stabler Rule" ahead of the 1979 season that would prevent this from happening again.

1978 Topps #400 O.J. Simpson

Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $75

After revolutionizing the running back position with an unparalleled five-year run from 1972-76, Buffalo Bills running back O.J. Simpson lost half of his 1977 NFL season to a severe left knee injury.

In the seven games he played, Simpson was noticeably hampered and much less explosive than usual.

With no guarantees he'd return to his previous form, the Bills sought to maximize their value on their star halfback by trading him to the San Francisco 49ers before the 1978 season for a package of draft picks.

It was a good P.R. move for a 49ers team destined for the NFC cellar.

San Francisco finished with the NFL's worst record at 2-14 but put butts in seats with the addition of a hometown superstar.

Born and raised in San Francisco, Simpson played and started ten games for the 49ers in 1978, rushing for 593 yards and a touchdown on 3.7 yards per carry, a far cry from his best years.

He added 21 receptions for 172 yards and two scores, though, serving as an adequate dual threat for the lowest-scoring team in the league.

Simpson played just one more year for the Niners before retiring after the 1979 NFL season.

1978 Topps #503 Bills Team Leaders

Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $75

Simpson also appeared on the Bills' "Team Leaders" card, which listed him as the top ball-carrier with 557 rushing yards.

That was a massive drop-off from his league-leading 1,503 rushing yards during the 1976 season but entirely related to missing half the season with a knee injury.

Had he not been hurt, perhaps he could've led the league in rushing for a third-straight season but we'll never know.

Ultimately, the team decided to move on from Simpson and traded him to the 49ers for the 1978 season anyway.

1978 Topps #50 Dave Casper

Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $60

The statistical particulars of Oakland Raiders tight end Dave Casper’s 1978 NFL season are predictably top shelf.

A consensus First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection, Casper caught a career-high 62 passes for 852 yards and nine touchdowns.

But, the real enduring memory of his 1978 campaign is the legend of the "Holy Roller."

On September 10th at San Diego, the Raiders trailed the Chargers 20-14 with ten seconds left in the contest.

With possession of the ball at San Diego’s 14-yard line, Ken Stabler dropped back to pass.

Chased by San Diego linebacker Woodrow Lowe and about to eat a game-ending sack, Stabler dropped the ball and batted it towards the goal line.

Oakland RB Pete Banaszak briefly recovered the ball before fumbling the ball again, setting the stage for Casper’s place in history.

Unable to grab the ball at first, Casper kicked it from the five-yard line into the end zone, ultimately recovering it for a game-tying score.

One extra point later, and Oakland finished off an improbable 21-20 win.

San Diego’s complaints of a forward pass attempt were to no avail, though Casper’s heads-up (and foot-out) play ultimately led to a rule change the following year.

1978 Topps Football Cards In Review

While the design of this set isn't as boisterous as other Topps football card sets of the 1970s, there is still plenty to enjoy within the 528-card checklist.

The Tony Dorsett rookie is easily the most desirable and recognizable card in the set but rookie cards of John Stallworth, Fred Dean, Joe Klecko and Dave Casper are also must-haves. 

Within it, there were also several different subsets, including:

• Season Highlights (#1 - 6)
• Playoff Highlights (#166 - 168)
• League Leaders (#331 - 336)
• Team Leaders (#501 - 528)

This set continues to fly under the radar a bit as far as vintage football sets go but is still a great one for any football card enthusiast to try and piece together.