| Offense Position First team Second team Quarterback Bert Jones, Baltimore Colts (AP, NEA, PFWA) Ken Stabler, Oakland Raiders (PFW) Ken Stabler, Oakland Raiders (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) Running back Walter Payton, Chicago Bears (AP, PFWA, PFW) O. J. Simpson, Buffalo Bills (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Chuck Foreman, Minnesota Vikings (NEA) Franco Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers (NEA-2, PFWA-2) Lydell Mitchell, Baltimore Colts (AP-2) Walter Payton, Chicago Bears (NEA-2) Chuck Foreman, Minnesota Vikings (AP-2, PFWA-2) Wide receiver Drew Pearson, Dallas Cowboys (AP, PFWA, PFW) Cliff Branch, Oakland Raiders (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Isaac Curtis, Cincinnati Bengals (NEA) Isaac Curtis, Cincinnati Bengals (AP-2, PFWA-2) Charlie Joiner, San Diego Chargers (NEA-2) Roger Carr, Baltimore Colts (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) Tight end Dave Casper, Oakland Raiders (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Russ Francis, New England Patriots (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) Tackle Dan Dierdorf, St. Louis Cardinals (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Ron Yary, Minnesota Vikings (AP, NEA, PFWA) Art Shell, Oakland Raiders (PFW) George Kunz, Baltimore Colts (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) Rayfield Wright, Dallas Cowboys (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) Guard John Hannah, New England Patriots (AP, PFWA, PFW) Joe DeLamielleure, Buffalo Bills (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Conrad Dobler, St. Louis Cardinals (NEA) Conrad Dobler, St. Louis Cardinals (AP-2) Ed White, Minnesota Vikings (PFWA-2) John Hannah, New England Patriots (NEA-2) Gene Upshaw, Oakland Raiders (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) Center Jim Langer, Miami Dolphins (NEA, PFWA, PFW) Tom Banks, St. Louis Cardinals (AP) Jim Langer, Miami Dolphins (AP-2) Tom Banks, St. Louis Cardinals (NEA-2, PFWA-2) Special teams Position First team Second team Kicker Jim Bakken, St. Louis Cardinals (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Efrén Herrera, Dallas Cowboys (AP-2, PFWA-2) Jan Stenerud, Kansas City Chiefs (NEA-2) Punter Ray Guy, Oakland Raiders (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) John James, Atlanta Falcons (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) Kick Returner Rick Upchurch, Denver Broncos (AP) Duriel Harris, Miami Dolphins (PFW) Eddie Brown, Washington Redskins (AP-2) Punt Returner Rick Upchurch, Denver Broncos (PFW) | Defense Position First team Second team Defensive end John Dutton, Baltimore Colts (AP) Tommy Hart, San Francisco 49ers (NEA, PFWA, PFW) Jack Youngblood, Los Angeles Rams (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Coy Bacon, Cincinnati Bengals (NEA-2, PFWA-2) Harvey Martin, Dallas Cowboys (AP-2, NEA-2) Tommy Hart, San Francisco 49ers (AP-2) John Dutton, Baltimore Colts (PFWA-2) Defensive tackle Jerry Sherk, Cleveland Browns (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Wally Chambers, Chicago Bears (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Joe Greene, Pittsburgh Steelers (AP-2) Alan Page, Minnesota Vikings (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) Cleveland Elam, San Francisco 49ers (NEA-2) Joe Ehrmann, Baltimore Colts (PFWA-2) Middle linebacker Jack Lambert, Pittsburgh Steelers (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Bill Bergey, Philadelphia Eagles (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) Outside linebacker Isiah Robertson, Los Angeles Rams (AP) Chris Hanburger, Washington Redskins (NEA, PFW) Jack Ham, Pittsburgh Steelers (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Robert Brazile, Houston Oilers (PFWA) Ted Hendricks, Oakland Raiders (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) Phil Villapiano, Oakland Raiders (NEA-2) Isiah Robertson, Los Angeles Rams (PFWA-2) Robert Brazile, Houston Oilers (AP-2) Cornerback Monte Jackson, Los Angeles Rams (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Roger Wehrli, St. Louis Cardinals (AP, PFWA) Lemar Parrish, Cincinnati Bengals (NEA) Mel Blount, Pittsburgh Steelers (PFW) Mike Haynes, New England Patriots (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) Ken Riley, Cincinnati Bengals (AP-2, PFWA-2) Mel Blount, Pittsburgh Steelers (NEA-2) Safety Cliff Harris, Dallas Cowboys (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Ken Houston, Washington Redskins (NEA, PFWA, PFW) Tommy Casanova, Cincinnati Bengals (AP) Glen Edwards, Pittsburgh Steelers (AP-2, NEA-2) Mike Wagner, Pittsburgh Steelers (AP-2) Thom Darden, Cleveland Browns (PFWA-2) Tommy Casanova, Cincinnati Bengals (NEA-2, PFWA-2) |
| Position | First team | Second team |
| Quarterback | Bert Jones, Baltimore Colts (AP, NEA, PFWA) Ken Stabler, Oakland Raiders (PFW) | Ken Stabler, Oakland Raiders (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) |
| Running back | Walter Payton, Chicago Bears (AP, PFWA, PFW) O. J. Simpson, Buffalo Bills (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Chuck Foreman, Minnesota Vikings (NEA) | Franco Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers (NEA-2, PFWA-2) Lydell Mitchell, Baltimore Colts (AP-2) Walter Payton, Chicago Bears (NEA-2) Chuck Foreman, Minnesota Vikings (AP-2, PFWA-2) |
| Wide receiver | Drew Pearson, Dallas Cowboys (AP, PFWA, PFW) Cliff Branch, Oakland Raiders (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Isaac Curtis, Cincinnati Bengals (NEA) | Isaac Curtis, Cincinnati Bengals (AP-2, PFWA-2) Charlie Joiner, San Diego Chargers (NEA-2) Roger Carr, Baltimore Colts (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) |
| Tight end | Dave Casper, Oakland Raiders (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) | Russ Francis, New England Patriots (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) |
| Tackle | Dan Dierdorf, St. Louis Cardinals (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Ron Yary, Minnesota Vikings (AP, NEA, PFWA) Art Shell, Oakland Raiders (PFW) | George Kunz, Baltimore Colts (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) Rayfield Wright, Dallas Cowboys (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) |
| Guard | John Hannah, New England Patriots (AP, PFWA, PFW) Joe DeLamielleure, Buffalo Bills (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Conrad Dobler, St. Louis Cardinals (NEA) | Conrad Dobler, St. Louis Cardinals (AP-2) Ed White, Minnesota Vikings (PFWA-2) John Hannah, New England Patriots (NEA-2) Gene Upshaw, Oakland Raiders (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) |
| Center | Jim Langer, Miami Dolphins (NEA, PFWA, PFW) Tom Banks, St. Louis Cardinals (AP) | Jim Langer, Miami Dolphins (AP-2) Tom Banks, St. Louis Cardinals (NEA-2, PFWA-2) |
| Special teams |
| Position | First team | Second team |
| Kicker | Jim Bakken, St. Louis Cardinals (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) | Efrén Herrera, Dallas Cowboys (AP-2, PFWA-2) Jan Stenerud, Kansas City Chiefs (NEA-2) |
| Punter | Ray Guy, Oakland Raiders (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) | John James, Atlanta Falcons (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) |
| Kick Returner | Rick Upchurch, Denver Broncos (AP) Duriel Harris, Miami Dolphins (PFW) | Eddie Brown, Washington Redskins (AP-2) |
| Punt Returner | Rick Upchurch, Denver Broncos (PFW) | |
| Defense |
| Position | First team | Second team |
| Defensive end | John Dutton, Baltimore Colts (AP) Tommy Hart, San Francisco 49ers (NEA, PFWA, PFW) Jack Youngblood, Los Angeles Rams (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) | Coy Bacon, Cincinnati Bengals (NEA-2, PFWA-2) Harvey Martin, Dallas Cowboys (AP-2, NEA-2) Tommy Hart, San Francisco 49ers (AP-2) John Dutton, Baltimore Colts (PFWA-2) |
| Defensive tackle | Jerry Sherk, Cleveland Browns (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Wally Chambers, Chicago Bears (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) | Joe Greene, Pittsburgh Steelers (AP-2) Alan Page, Minnesota Vikings (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) Cleveland Elam, San Francisco 49ers (NEA-2) Joe Ehrmann, Baltimore Colts (PFWA-2) |
| Middle linebacker | Jack Lambert, Pittsburgh Steelers (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) | Bill Bergey, Philadelphia Eagles (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) |
| Outside linebacker | Isiah Robertson, Los Angeles Rams (AP) Chris Hanburger, Washington Redskins (NEA, PFW) Jack Ham, Pittsburgh Steelers (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Robert Brazile, Houston Oilers (PFWA) | Ted Hendricks, Oakland Raiders (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) Phil Villapiano, Oakland Raiders (NEA-2) Isiah Robertson, Los Angeles Rams (PFWA-2) Robert Brazile, Houston Oilers (AP-2) |
| Cornerback | Monte Jackson, Los Angeles Rams (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Roger Wehrli, St. Louis Cardinals (AP, PFWA) Lemar Parrish, Cincinnati Bengals (NEA) Mel Blount, Pittsburgh Steelers (PFW) | Mike Haynes, New England Patriots (AP-2, NEA-2, PFWA-2) Ken Riley, Cincinnati Bengals (AP-2, PFWA-2) Mel Blount, Pittsburgh Steelers (NEA-2) |
| Safety | Cliff Harris, Dallas Cowboys (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW) Ken Houston, Washington Redskins (NEA, PFWA, PFW) Tommy Casanova, Cincinnati Bengals (AP) | Glen Edwards, Pittsburgh Steelers (AP-2, NEA-2) Mike Wagner, Pittsburgh Steelers (AP-2) Thom Darden, Cleveland Browns (PFWA-2) Tommy Casanova, Cincinnati Bengals (NEA-2, PFWA-2) |