1979 in football

American football

 * Sugar Bowl (1978 season):
 * The Alabama Crimson Tide won 14-7 over the Penn State Nittany Lions to claim AP Poll national championship
 * January 21 – Super Bowl XIII – Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Dallas Cowboys 35-31.
 * August 4 – Opening game of the American Football Bundesliga played between Frankfurter Löwen and Düsseldorf Panther, first-ever league game of American football in Germany.
 * November 10 – German Bowl I – Frankfurter Löwen defeated the Ansbach Grizzlies 14-8.