1981 Topps Football Cards

Topps produced a memorable set of 528 football cards for 1982. The addition of "Super Action" cards was welcome. Topps had for too long relied on close-up pictures of guys on the sidelines for a sport where action is king. Overall, the photography is clearer and more inspired than ever before.

Topps produced a real winner featuring a rookie card of the biggest winner of them all in 1981. After years of uninspiring rookie cards (you really have to go back to 1976 and Walter Payton to find a classic), the Joe Montana make this set a keeper. Other rookie cards include Art Monk, Kellen Winslow, Dan Hampton, Dwight Clark, Billy Sims (who was initially the most valuable), Mark Gastineau and Joe Cribbs.

Topps also produced small (1 15/16 x 2 9/16) set of 262 stickers, released in their own packs with their own album. They were met with yawns by collectors, though kids seemed to like them.

1 Passing Leaders
2 Receiving Leaders
3 Sack Leaders
4 Scoring Leaders
5 Interception Leaders
6 Punting Leaders
7 Don Calhoun
8 Jack Tatum
9 Reggie Rucker
10 Mike Webster
11 Vince Evans
12 Ottis Anderson (Super Action)
13 Leroy Harris
14 Gordon King
15 Harvey Martin
16 Johnny 'Lam' Jones
17 Ken Greene
18 Frank Lewis
19 Seattle Seahawks (Team Leaders)
20 Lester Hayes
21 Uwe Von Schamann
22 Joe Washington
23 Louie Kelcher
24 Willie Miller
25 Steve Grogan
26 John Hill
27 Stan White
28 William Andrews (Super Action)
29 Clarence Scott
30 Leon Gray
31 Craig Colquitt
32 Doug Williams
33 Bob Breunig
34 Billy Taylor
35 Harold Carmichael
36 Ray Wersching
37 Dennis Johnson
38 Archie Griffin
39 Los Angeles Rams (Team Leaders)
40 Gary Fencik
41 Lynn Dickey
42 Steve Bartkowski (Super Action)
43 Art Shell
44 Wilbur Jackson
45 Frank Corral
46 Ted McKnight
47 Joe Klecko
48 Dan Doornink
49 Doug Dieken
50 Jerry Robinson
51 Wallace Francis
52 Dave Preston
53 Jay Saldi
54 Rush Brown
55 Phil Simms
56 Nick Mike-Mayer
57 Washington Redskins (Team Leaders)
58 Mike Renfro
59 Ted Brown (Super Action)
60 Steve Nelson
61 Sidney Thornton
62 Kent Hill
63 Don Bessillieu
64 Fred Cook
65 Raymond Chester
66 Rick Kane
67 Mike Fuller
68 Dewey Selmon
69 Charles White
70 Jeff Van Note
71 Robert Newhouse
72 Roynell Young
73 Lynn Cain (Super Action)
74 Mike Friede
75 Earl Cooper
76 New Orleans Saints (Team Leaders)
77 Rick Danmeier
78 Darrol Ray
79 Gregg Bingham
80 John Hannah
81 Jack Thompson
82 Rick Upchurch
83 Mike Butler
84 Don Warren
85 Mark Van Eeghen
86 J.T. Smith
87 Herman Weaver
88 Terry Bradshaw (Super Action)
89 Charlie Hall
90 Donnie Shell
91 Ike Harris
92 Charlie Johnson
93 Rickey Watts
94 New England Patriots (Team Leaders)
95 Drew Pearson
96 Neil O'Donoghue
97 Conrad Dobler
98 Jewerl Thomas
99 Mike Barber
100 Billy Sims
101 Vern Den Herder
102 Greg Landry
103 Joe Cribbs (Super Action)
104 Mark Murphy
105 Chuck Muncie
106 Alfred Jackson
107 Chris Bahr
108 Gordon Jones
109 Willie Harper
110 Dave Jennings
111 Bennie Cunningham
112 Jerry Sisemore
113 Cleveland Browns (Team Leaders)
114 Rickey Young
115 Ken Anderson
116 Randy Gradishar
117 Eddie Lee Ivery
118 Wesley Walker
119 Chuck Foreman
120 Nolan Cromwell
121 Curtis Dickey (Super Action)
122 Wayne Morris
123 Greg Stemrick
124 Coy Bacon
125 Jim Zorn
126 Henry Childs
127 Checklist 1-132
128 Len Walterscheid
129 Johnny Evans
130 Gary Barbaro
131 Jim Smith
132 New York Jets (Team Leaders)
133 Curtis Brown
134 D.D. Lewis
135 Jim Plunkett
136 Nat Moore
137 Don McCauley
138 Tony Dorsett (Super Action)
139 Julius Adams
140 Ahmad Rashad
141 Rich Saul
142 Ken Fantetti
143 Kenny Johnson
144 Clark Gaines
145 Mark Moseley
146 Vernon Perry
147 Jerry Eckwood
148 Freddie Solomon
149 Jerry Sherk
150 Kellen Winslow
151 Greenbay Packers (Team Leaders)
152 Ross Browner
153 Dan Fouts (Super Action)
154 Woody Peoples
155 Jack Lambert
156 Mike Dennis
157 Rafael Septien
158 Archie Manning
159 Don Hasselbeck
160 Alan Page
161 Arthur Whittington
162 Billy Waddy
163 Horace Belton
164 Luke Prestridge
165 Joe Theismann
166 Morris Towns
167 Dave Brown
168 Ezra Johnson
169 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Team Leaders)
170 Joe Delamielleure
171 Earnest Gray (Super Action)
172 Mike Thomas
173 Jim Haslett
174 David Woodley
175 Al 'Bubba' Baker
176 Nesby Glasgow
177 Pat Leahy
178 Tom Brahaney
179 Herman Edwards
180 Junior Miller
181 Richard Wood
182 Lenvil Elliott
183 Sammie White
184 Russell Erxleben
185 Ed 'Too Tall' Jones
186 Ray Guy (Super Action)
187 Haven Moses
188 New York Giants (Team Leaders)
189 David Whitehurst
190 John Jefferson
191 Terry Beeson
192 Dan Ross
193 Dave Williams
194 Art Monk
195 Roger Wehrli
196 Ricky Feacher
197 Miami Dolphins (Team Leaders)
198 Carl Roaches
199 Billy Campfield
200 Ted Hendricks
201 Fred Smerlas
202 Walter Payton (Super Action)
203 Luther Bradley
204 Herb Scott
205 Jack Youngblood
206 Danny Pittman
207 Houston Oilers (Team Leaders)
208 Vagas Ferguson
209 Mark Dennard
210 Lemar Parrish
211 Bruce Harper
212 Ed Simonini
213 Nick Lowery
214 Kevin House
215 Mike Kenn
216 Joe Montana
217 Joe Senser
218 Lester Hayes (Super Action)
219 Gene Upshaw
220 Franco Harris
221 Ron Bolton
222 Charles Alexander
223 Matt Robinson
224 Ray Oldham
225 George Martin
226 Buffalo Bills (Team Leaders)
227 Tony Franklin
228 George Cumby
229 Butch Johnson
230 Mike Haynes
231 Rob Carpenter
232 Steve Fuller
233 John Sawyer
234 Kenny King (Super Action)
235 Jack Ham
236 Jimmy Rogers
237 Bob Parsons
238 Marty Lyons
239 Pat Tilley
240 Dennis Harrah
241 Thom Darden
242 Rolf Benirschke
243 Gerald Small
244 Atlanta Falcons (Team Leaders)
245 Roger Carr
246 Sherman White
247 Ted Brown
248 Matt Cavanaugh
249 John Dutton
250 Bill Bergey
251 Jim Allen
252 Mike Nelms (Super Action)
253 Tom Blanchard
254 Ricky Thompson
255 John Matuszak
256 Randy Grossman
257 Ray Griffin
258 Lynn Cain
259 Checklist 133-264
260 Mike Pruitt
261 Chris Ward
262 Fred Steinfort
263 James Owens
264 Chicago Bears (Team Leaders)

265 Dan Fouts
266 Arnold Morgado
267 John Jefferson (Super Action)
268 Bill Lenkaitis
269 James Jones Cow
270 Brad Van Pelt
271 Steve Largent
272 Elvin Bethea
273 Cullen Bryant
274 Gary Danielson
275 Tony Galbreath
276 Dave Butz
277 Steve Mike-Mayer
278 Ron Johnson
279 Tom Deleone
280 Ron Jaworski
281 Mel Gray
282 San Diego Chargers (Team Leaders)
283 Mark Brammer
284 Alfred Jenkins (Super Action)
285 Greg Buttle
286 Randy Hughes
287 Delvin Williams
288 Brian Baschnagel
289 Gary Jeter
290 Stanley Morgan
291 Gerry Ellis
292 Al Richardson
293 Jimmie Giles
294 Dave Jennings (Super Action)
295 Wilbert Montgomery
296 Dave Pureifory
297 Greg Hawthorne
298 Dick Ambrose
299 Terry Hermeling
300 Danny White
301 Ken Burrough
302 Paul Hofer
303 Denver Broncos (Team Leaders)
304 Eddie Payton
305 Isaac Curtis
306 Benny Ricardo
307 Riley Odoms
308 Bob Chandler
309 Larry Heater
310 Art Still
311 Harold Jackson
312 Charlie Joiner (Super Action)
313 Jeff Nixon
314 Aundra Thompson
315 Richard Todd
316 Dan Hampton
317 Doug Marsh
318 Louie Giammona
319 San Francisco 49ers (Team Leaders)
320 Manu Tuiasosopo
321 Rich Milot
322 Mike Guman
323 Bob Kuechenberg
324 Tom Skladany
325 Dave Logan
326 Bruce Laird
327 James Jones (Super Action)
328 Joe Danelo
329 Kenny King
330 Pat Donovan
331 Earl Cooper
332 John Jefferson
333 Kenny King
334 Rod Martin
335 Jim Plunkett
336 Bill Thompson
337 John Cappelletti
338 Detroit Lions (Team Leaders)
339 Don Smith
340 Rod Perry
341 David Lewis
342 Mark Gastineau
343 Steve Largent (Super Action)
344 Charle Young
345 Toni Fritsch
346 Matt Blair
347 Don Bass
348 Jim Jensen
349 Karl Lorch
350 Brian Sipe
351 Theo Bell
352 Sam Adams
353 Paul Coffman
354 Eric Harris
355 Tony Hill
356 J.T. Turner
357 Frank Lemaster
358 Jim Jodat
359 Oakland Raiders (Team Leaders)
360 Joe Cribbs
361 James Lofton (Super Action)
362 Dexter Bussey
363 Bobby Jackson
364 Steve Deberg
365 Ottis Anderson
366 Tom Myers
367 John James
368 Reese McCall
369 Jack Reynolds
370 Gary Johnson
371 Jimmy Cefalo
372 Horace Ivory
373 Garo Yepremian
374 Brian Kelley
375 Terry Bradshaw
376 Dallas Cowboys (Team Leaders)
377 Randy Logan
378 Tim Wilson
379 Archie Manning (Super Action)
380 Revie Sorey
381 Randy Holloway
382 Henry Lawrence
383 Pat Mcinally
384 Kevin Long
385 Louis Wright
386 Leonard Thompson
387 Jan Stenerud
388 Raymond Butler
389 Checklist 265-396
390 Steve Bartkowski
391 Clarence Harmon
392 Wilbert Montgomery (Super Action)
393 Billy Joe Dupree
394 Kansas City Chiefs (Team Leaders)
395 Earnest Gray
396 Ray Hamilton
397 Brenard Wilson
398 Calvin Hill
399 Robin Cole
400 Walter Payton
401 Jim Hart
402 Ron Yary
403 Cliff Branch
404 Roland Hooks
405 Ken Stabler
406 Chuck Ramsey
407 Mike Nelms
408 Ron Jaworski (Super Action)
409 James Hunter
410 Lee Roy Selmon
411 Baltimore Colts (Team Leaders)
412 Henry Marshall
413 Preston Pearson
414 Richard Bishop
415 Greg Pruitt
416 Matt Bahr
417 Tom Mullady
418 Glen Edwards
419 Sam McCullum
420 Stan Walters
421 George Roberts
422 Dwight Clark
423 Pat Thomas
424 Bruce Harper (Super Action)
425 Craig Morton
426 Derrick Gaffney
427 Pete Johnson
428 Wes Chandler
429 Burgess Owens
430 James Lofton
431 Tony Reed
432 Minnesota Vikings (Team Leaders)
433 Ron Springs
434 Tim Fox
435 Ozzie Newsome
436 Steve Furness
437 Will Lewis
438 Mike Hartenstine
439 John Bunting
440 Eddie Murray
441 Mike Pruitt (Super Action)
442 Larry Swider
443 Steve Freeman
444 Bruce Hardy
445 Pat Haden
446 Curtis Dickey
447 Doug Wilkerson
448 Alfred Jenkins
449 Dave Dalby
450 Robert Brazile
451 Bobby Hammond
452 Raymond Clayborn
453 Jim Miller
454 Roy Simmons
455 Charlie Waters
456 Ricky Bell
457 Ahmad Rashad (Super Action)
458 Don Cockroft
459 Keith Krepfle
460 Marvin Powell
461 Tommy Kramer
462 Jim Leclair
463 Freddie Scott
464 Rob Lytle
465 Johnnie Gray
466 Doug France
467 Carlos Carson
468 St. Louis Cardinals (Team Leaders)
469 Efren Herrera
470 Randy White
471 Richard Caster
472 Andy Johnson
473 Billy Sims (Super Action)
474 Joe Lavender
475 Harry Carson
476 John Stallworth
477 Bob Thomas
478 Keith Wright
479 Ken Stone
480 Carl Hairston
481 Reggie McKenzie
482 Bob Griese
483 Mike Bragg
484 Scott Dierking
485 David Hill
486 Brian Sipe (Super Action)
487 Rod Martin
488 Cincinnati Bengals (Team Leaders)
489 Preston Dennard
490 John Smith
491 Mike Reinfeldt
492 NFC Champs
493 AFC Champs
494 Super Bowl XV
495 Joe Greene
496 Charlie Joiner
497 Rolland Lawrence
498 Al (Bubba) Baker (Super Action)
499 Brad Dusek
500 Tony Dorsett
501 Robin Earl
502 Theotis Brown
503 Joe Ferguson
504 Beasley Reece
505 Lyle Alzado
506 Tony Nathan
507 Philadelphia Eagles (Team Leaders)
508 Herb Orvis
509 Clarence Williams
510 Ray Guy
511 Jeff Komlo
512 Freddie Solomon (Super Action)
513 Tim Mazzetti
514 Elvis Peacock
515 Russ Francis
516 Roland Harper
517 Checklist 397-528
518 Billy Johnson
519 Dan Dierdorf
520 Fred Dean
521 Jerry Butler
522 Ron Saul
523 Charlie Smith
524 Kellen Winslow (Super Action)
525 Bert Jones
526 Pittsburg Steelers (Team Leaders)
527 Duriel Harris
528 William Andrews

1981 Topps Football Cards

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