What If 1984 Topps Football Combined the NFL and USFL Checklists!?!

The 1984 Topps Football set could have been even better than the one we’ve come to know and love over the past 40 years.

The 1972 Topps Basketball set combined cards for players in the NBA, as well as for the ABA, which was a competing league at the time. That allowed for a super-set of some great rookie cards, including Julius Erving (ABA), George McGinnis (ABA), Artis Gilmore (ABA) and Phil Jackson (NBA). But more importantly, it had cards of other superstar players like Wilt Chamberlain, Walt Frazier, Wes Unseld, Oscar Robertson, Rick Barry, John Havlicek, Dave Cowens, and Jerry West.

Imagine if Topps gave the NFL and the competing USFL the same treatment for their 1984 Topps Football set! We would have rookie cards of the following superstars, all in one set:

Rookie Cards From the 1984 Topps NFL Set:

• Chris Hinton, Baltimore Colts No. 15
• John Elway, Denver Broncos No. 63
• Howie Long, Los Angeles Raiders No. 111
• Dan Marino, Miami Dolphins No. 123
• Dwight Stephenson, Miami Dolphins No. 129
• Andre Tippett, New England Patriots No. 143
• Curt Warner, Seattle Seahawks No. 198
• Jim Covert, Chicago Bears No. 222
• Eric Dickerson, Los Angeles Rams No. 280
• Jackie Slater, Los Angeles Rams No. 286
• Morten Andersen, New Orleans Saints No. 300
• Rickey Jackson, New Orleans Saints No. 303
• Roger Craig, San Francisco 49ers No. 353
• Darrell Green, Washington Redskins No. 380

Rookie Cards From the 1984 Topps USFL Set:

• Jim Kelly, Houston Gamblers No. 36
• Steve Young, L.A. Express No. 52
• Reggie White, Memphis Showboats No. 58
• Anthony Carter, Michigan Panthers No. 59
• Bobby Hebert, Michigan Panthers No. 62
• Herschel Walker, New Jersey Generals No. 74
• Marcus DuPree, Portland Breakers No. 76

1984 Topps Football Superstar Non-Rookie NFL Cards Include:

• Joe DeLamielleure, Cleveland Browns No. 51
• Walter Payton, Chicago Bears No. 228
• Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers No. 358

1984 Topps Football Superstar Non-Rookie USFL Cards Include:

• Doug Plank, Chicago Blitz No. 24
• Brian Sipe, New Jersey Generals No. 73
• Doug Williams, Oklahoma Outlaws No 96

As you can see, this 1984 Topps NFL set (which had rookies from the 1983 NFL Draft) would have been an even more legendary set than it already is! By combining the two league sets, you’d have rookie cards of quarterbacks John Elway, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino and Steve Young! The rookie running backs list would have both Roger Craig, Eric Dickerson, Herschel Walker, and Curt Warner! There weren’t many superstar rookie WRs, but the legendary defensive rookies list is stocked, with guys like Darrell Green, Howie Long and Reggie White!

What do you think of the 1984 Topps Football NFL set, as well as the 1984 Topps USFL set? Do you have any of these cards, and if so, which ones are your favorite?