I think it is unlikely because:
1) Production for 1970-1990 was very high, making it difficult for their to be a shortage of supply of Topps cards (except the 1972 3rd series). There has to be huge demand for their not to be a surplus of cards
2) There are lots of NRMT+ condition cards too, except for maybe the 1971's. Not many condition rarities either.
3) Football does not celebrate it's history like baseball does.
4) The popularity of the sport has less to do with it than most think, I suspect. For good or bad, baseball is simply associated with cards in a way that nothing else is. Baseball has been loss popular than Football for something like 40, 50 years now, but Baseball cards remain the card leader.
5) Related to 3, there are very few truly iconic players in football history. Mays, Mantle, Aaron, Clemente, Jackie. There aren't players like this in football that carry that cultural and general recognition among the public. It is true for Jim Brown, but he's 1958. It is true for Joe Namath, though I don't think he will do so well as that generation that loved him passes on (unlike Mickey Mantle, he doesn't hold up statistically - Namath is almost a pure nostalgia character). Who are the icon rookies between 1970 and 1980? Payton, as mentioned. OJ is... tainted. There are some in the 80's but by 1981 the print run was massive, there's a Montana rookie for everyone who wants one that keeps a cap on its value (I'm sure PSA 10's will prove a good investment long term still). The Bradshaw may have some room to advance, 71's are condition sensitive and there's a more finite cap on NRMT copies of his card than most.
6) Football remains an American sport. If I was not a collector but a pure speculator, I would gamble on vintage basketball stars over vintage football.
That said, I'm an idiot and am often wrong.
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