Pro Football Weekly's 1978 NFL Players of the Week

THINGS YOU CAN NEVER LAY YOUR HANDS ON
Complete Lists
By John Turney

Beginning in 1978 Pro Football Weekly began releasing their choices for the NFL Players of the Week and it continued through the final season that magazine existed. They were different than the official AFC/NFC Players of the Week that the NFL began releasing in 1984 in that the were for the entire league, not just the conferences. In that respect they were more like the Associated Press Players of the Week lists Pro Football Journal has published earlier this year.

The AP had this award from 1963 through 1973. From 1978 to 1983 PFW was the only publication making Player of the Week selections. Later in the 1980s a couple of others joined in, but none was as consistent as PFW.

PFW did release the Golden Toe Awards, which were weekly, prior to 1978 and we will publish those at some point as well.

Here is 1978, in which there was a Player of the Week and a Golden Toe (best kicker/punter) of the Week.
                   Player of the Week                          Golden Toe
Week 1      Tony Dorsett, Dal                               Pat Leahy, NYJ
Week 2      James Lofton, GB                               Bob Thomas, Chi and
                                                                              Rick Danmeier, Min
 Week 3     Terry Bradshaw, Pit                            Dave Jennings, NYG
 Week 4     Willie Buchanon, GB                         Dave Green, TB
                  Joe Washington, Bal
 Week 5     Wilbert Montgomery, Phi                   Errol Mann, Oak
 Week 6      Jim Zorn, Sea                                     Benny Ricardo, Det and
                                                                              Mark Moseley, Was
Week 7       Terdell Middleton, GB                       Pat Leahy, NYJ
Week 8       Fran Tarkenton, Min                          Rusty Jackson, Buf
Week 9       Steve Grogan, NE                              Greg Coleman, Min and
                                                                              Tim Mazzetti, Atl
Week 10    Sherman Smith, Sea                            Frank Corral, LA
Week 11    John Jefferson, SD                              Mark Moseley, Was
Week 12    Brian Sipe, Cle                                    Ray Guy, Oak
Week 13    Earl Campbell, Hou and                      Efren Herrera, Sea
                  Terry Miller, Buf
Week 14    Fran Tarkenton, Min                           Garo Yepremian,
Week 15    Craig Morton, Den                              Rolf Benirschke, SD
Week 16     Dan Fouts, SD                                    Benny Ricardo, Det