The 1998 season was the Green Bay Packers' 78th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 80th overall. The Packers entered the 1998 campaign as the two-time defending NFC champions, losing the Super Bowl the year before. The season began with the team attempting to improve on their 13–3 record from 1997, three-peat as National Football Conference (NFC) champions, and win their second Super Bowl in three years.
With an 11–5 record on the season, during which the Minnesota Vikings brought an end to the Packers' 25-game home winning streak in Week 5, Green Bay finished second in the NFC Central, the first time in four years that they had not won the division. They qualified for the playoffs as the NFC's fifth seed, but they were beaten 30–27 by the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card round, with Steve Young throwing a 25-yard touchdown pass to Terrell Owens with three seconds left. This was the final season that the Packers would qualify for the postseason during the 1990s; they would not return to the playoffs until 2001. It was also the last season with the team for both head coach Mike Holmgren and Hall of Fame defensive end Reggie White.
Offseason Additions Subtractions P Sean Landeta (Buccaneers) FS Eugene Robinson (Falcons) LB Antonio London (Lions) RB Edgar Bennett (Bears) S Pat Terrell (Panthers) CB Doug Evans (Panthers) OT Matt Willig (Falcons) DE Gabe Wilkins (49ers) OT Bruce Wilkerson (Raiders) WR Terry Mickens (Raiders) G Aaron Taylor (Chargers) QB Steve Bono (Rams) WR Don Beebe (retirement) P Craig Hentrich (Oilers)
1998 NFL draft Notably, the Packers drafted future all-pro quarterback Matt Hasselbeck in the 6th round (187th overall).
Supplemental draft
Undrafted free agents
+ 1998 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeMagic BentonWide receiverMiami (FL)Mike BowmanWide receiverValdosta StateKeaton CromartieLinebackerTulaneJason DavisPunterOklahoma StateTerrell FarleyCornerbackNebraskaDavid HoelscherDefensive endEastern KentuckyChris McCoyRunning backNavyJude WaddyLinebackerWilliam & Mary
Staff
Roster 1998 Green Bay Packers roster Quarterbacks Brett Favre Rick Mirer Doug Pederson
Running backs Michael Blair William Henderson FB Darick Holmes Jim Kitts FB Dorsey Levens
Wide receivers Corey Bradford Robert Brooks Russell Copeland Antonio Freeman Brian Manning Derrick Mayes Roell Preston RS
Tight ends Mark Chmura Tyrone Davis Scott Galbraith Jeff Thomason Offensive linemen Joe Andruzzi G Jeff Dellenbach C Earl Dotson OT Mike Flanagan C Marco Rivera G Adam Timmerman G Ross Verba OT Mike Wahle G Matt Willig OT
Defensive linemen Vaughn Booker DE Gilbert Brown DT Jonathan Brown DE Santana Dotson DT Vonnie Holliday DE Bob Kuberski DT Billy Lyon DT Keith McKenzie DE Reggie White DE Linebackers Bernardo Harris MLB Lamont Hollinquest OLB George Koonce OLB Brian Williams OLB
Defensive backs LeRoy Butler SS Kerry Cooks SS Scott McGarrahan SS Craig Newsome CB Mike Prior FS Darren Sharper FS Rod Smith CB Pat Terrell FS Tyrone Williams CB
Special teams Rob Davis LS Sean Landeta P Ryan Longwell K Injured Reserve Anthony Hicks LB (IR) Travis Jervey RB (IR) Antonio London OLB (IR) Ronnie McAda QB (Military Reserve) Chris McCoy RB (Military Reserve) John Michels LT (IR) Roderick Mullen CB (IR) Bill Schroeder WR (IR) Jermaine Smith DT (NF-inj.) Jude Waddy MLB (Susp.) Edwin Watson RB (IR) Frank Winters C (IR) C
Practice squad Matt Hasselbeck QB Taj Johnson WR Denorse Mosley CB Jim Nelson MLB Pat Palmer WR
53 active, 12 inactive, 5 practice squad
rookies in italics
Schedule
Preseason In the 1998 NFL Preseason, the Packers traveled to Japan to face off against the Kansas City Chiefs at the Tokyo Dome. It was the ninth American Bowl game to be staged at the 48,000 capacity stadium.
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 August 1 Kansas City Chiefs W 27–24 1–0 Tokyo Dome 42,018 2 August 8 New Orleans Saints W 31–7 2–0 Lambeau Field 60,080 3 August 16 Oakland Raiders L 21–27 2–1 Lambeau Field 60,078 4 August 24 at Denver Broncos L 31–34 2–2 Mile High Stadium 73,183 5 August 28 at Miami Dolphins L 7–21 2–3 Pro Player Stadium 61,915
Regular season The Packers finished the 1998 regular with an 11–5 record in 2nd place in the NFC Central (qualifying for an NFC Wild Card playoff game), behind the Randall Cunningham-led 15–1 Vikings.
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 6 Detroit Lions W 38–19 1–0 Lambeau Field 60,102 2 September 13 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 23–15 2–0 Lambeau Field 60,124 3 September 20 at Cincinnati Bengals W 13–6 3–0 Cinergy Field 56,346 4 September 27 at Carolina Panthers W 37–30 4–0 Ericsson Stadium 69,723 5 Minnesota Vikings L 24–37 4–1 Lambeau Field 59,849 6 Bye 7 at Detroit Lions L 20–27 4–2 Pontiac Silverdome 77,932 8 October 25 Baltimore Ravens W 28–10 5–2 Lambeau Field 59,860 9 November 1 San Francisco 49ers W 36–22 6–2 Lambeau Field 59,794 10 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 20–27 6–3 Three Rivers Stadium 60,507 11 November 15 at New York Giants W 37–3 7–3 Giants Stadium 76,272 12 November 22 at Minnesota Vikings L 14–28 7–4 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,471 13 November 29 Philadelphia Eagles W 24–16 8–4 Lambeau Field 59,862 14 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 22–24 8–5 Raymond James Stadium 65,497 15 December 13 Chicago Bears W 26–20 9–5 Lambeau Field 59,813 16 December 20 Tennessee Oilers W 30–22 10–5 Lambeau Field 59,888 17 December 27 at Chicago Bears W 16–13 11–5 Soldier Field 58,393 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text
Playoffs
Playoff round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Game site Recap Wild Card January 3, 1999 San Francisco 49ers (4) L 27–30 0–1 Candlestick Park
Standings
Season summary
Week 1
Week 5: vs Minnesota Vikings
Playoffs
NFC Wild Card Playoff
The 49ers defeated the Packers, who had eliminated them from the playoffs in each of the past 3 seasons, in one of the wildest back-and-forth games in league playoff history. After a Brett Favre touchdown to Antonio Freeman with 1:55 to go, Steve Young began driving the Niners down field; Jerry Rice had just one catch for six yards all game, coming on this drive and when he fumbled the ball, but was ruled down by contact, but instant replay was not available at the time. The next play, Young's pass fell incomplete and was initially ruled intercepted. With eight seconds to go, Young from the Packers 25 dropped back, momentarily stumbled, then launched the ball where it was caught in the end zone by Terrell Owens, who had dropped several catches during the game.
Awards and records Brett Favre, NFL leader, passing yards (4,212) Brett Favre, NFC leader, attempts (551) Brett Favre, NFC leader, completions (347) Brett Favre, NFC leader, pass completion percentage (63) Brett Favre, NFC leader (tied), interceptions (23) Reggie White, National Football League Defensive Player of the Year Award Reggie White, NFC leader, sacks (16.0)
Milestones Brett Favre, second 4,000-yard passing season (finished season with 4,212)
References