| Team: | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| Year: | 1978 |
| Record: | 5–10–1 |
| Division Place: | 3rd, East |
| Coach: | Tom Dimitroff, Sr. and John Payne |
| Stadium: | Ivor Wynne Stadium |
| Playoffs: | Lost Eastern Semi-Final |
| Mop: | Ray Nettles |
| Moc: | Neil Lumsden |
| Mor: | Ben Zambiasi |
| Uniform: | File:CFL HAM Jersey 1974.png --> |
| Shortnavlink: | Tiger-Cats seasons |
The 1978 Hamilton Tiger-Cats season was the 21st season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 29th overall. The Tiger-Cats finished in third place in the Eastern Conference with a 5–10–1 record, but lost the Eastern Semi-Final to the Montreal Alouettes.
In February 1978, the club was purchased by President and majority shareholder of Maple Leaf Gardens Limited, Harold Ballard. Mr. Ballard became the team president that year and would keep the strong tradition of pro football in that City. Rocky DiPietro was in his rookie season with the Ti-Cats.[1] Ed George spent four seasons in the NFL before returning to the CFL in 1978 with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Through two seasons with the Tiger-Cats he played 34 games.[1] Quarterback Jimmy Jones was in his final season with the Tiger-Cats and he finished his Tiger-Cats career with 861 career pass attempts, which was good enough to rank in the top ten.[2]
| Ottawa Rough Riders | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 395 | 261 | 22 | |
| Montreal Alouettes | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 331 | 295 | 17 | |
| Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 16 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 225 | 403 | 11 | |
| 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 234 | 389 | 8 |
| Week | Date | Opponent | Final score | Record | |
| 1 | July 12 | 22–34 | 0–1 | ||
| 2 | July 19 | 27–23 | 1–1 | ||
| 3 | July 25 | 12–24 | 1–2 | ||
| 4 | Aug 1 | 22–22 | 1–2–1 | ||
| 5 | Aug 9 | 7–29 | 1–3–1 | ||
| 6 | Aug 15 | 6–32 | 1–4–1 | ||
| 7 | Aug 23 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 8–36 | 1–5–1 | |
| 8 | Sept 4 | Toronto Argonauts | 19–16 | 2–5–1 | |
| 9 | Sept 10 | 16–56 | 2–6–1 | ||
| 10 | Sept 17 | at Montreal Alouettes | 4–14 | 2–7–1 | |
| 11 | Sept 23 | Montreal Alouettes | 17–6 | 3–7–1 | |
| 13 | Oct 9 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 25–5 | 4–7–1 | |
| 14 | Oct 14 | at Toronto Argonauts | 7–21 | 4–8–1 | |
| 15 | Oct 22 | 1–35 | 4–9–1 | ||
| 16 | Oct 28 | at Ottawa Rough Riders | 9–34 | 4–10–1 | |
| 17 | Nov 5 | Toronto Argonauts | 23–16 | 5–10–1 |
| Game | Date | Opponent | Final score | |
| Eastern Semi-Final | Nov 11 | 35–20 |