1998 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1998 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 66th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League.
This season marked the first time since the 1991 season that the Steelers failed to make the playoffs. Pittsburgh finished 7–9 after starting the season 5–2, losing their last five games to lose a spot in the playoffs. It was Bill Cowher's first losing record as coach of the Steelers.
The season was marked by a controversial ending to the team's Thanksgiving Day game against the Detroit Lions, where Jerome Bettis claimed he called the coin toss in overtime as "tails" although referee Phil Luckett heard "heads." The Lions won 19–16 and started the Steelers' losing streak to finish the season.
The inept plays of Kordell Stewart was cited as another conflict, as the fans slowly began to turn on him. After their 11–5 1997 season, Pittsburgh lost two key offensive components: Chan Gailey, the offensive coordinator who went on to become head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, and their leading receiver, Yancey Thigpen, a Pro Bowler for Pittsburgh in 1997, who joined the Tennessee Oilers.
Offseason
NFL Draft
Personnel
Staff
Notable additions include Hines Ward, Alan Faneca and Deshea Townsend.Roster
Preseason
Schedule
Regular season
Schedule
Game summaries
Week 1 (Sunday September 6, 1998): at [Baltimore Ravens]
at Ravens Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland- Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 68,847
- Referee: Walt Coleman
- TV announcers: Verne Lundquist, Randy Cross, Michele Tafoya
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 27
- Baltimore – FG Stover 41
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 49
- Pittsburgh – Stewart 1 run
- Pittsburgh – C. Johnson 20 pass from Stewart
- Baltimore – FG Stover 25
- Baltimore – J. Lewis 64 pass from Zeier
Week 2 (Sunday September 13, 1998): vs. [Chicago Bears]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
- Game weather: 84 °F
- Game attendance: 59,084
- Referee: Gerald Austin
- TV announcers: Kenny Albert, Tim Green, Dan Jiggetts
- Chicago – Engram 54 pass from Kramer
- Pittsburgh – Bettis 1 run
- Chicago – FG Jaeger 19
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 49
- Pittsburgh – Coleman 13 pass from Stewart
- Chicago – FG Jaeger 36
Week 3 (Sunday September 20, 1998): at [Miami Dolphins]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 73,748
- Referee: Bill Carollo
- TV announcers: Verne Lundquist, Randy Cross, and Michele Tafoya
- Miami – Abdul-Jabbar 3 run
- Miami – L. Thomas 8 pass from Marino
- Miami – Z. Thomas 17 interception return
Week 4 (Sunday September 27, 1998): vs. [Seattle Seahawks]
- Game time: 4:05 pm EDT
- Game weather: 83 °F
- Game attendance: 58,413
- Referee: Johnny Grier
- TV announcers: Kevin Harlan, Sam Wyche
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 33
- Seattle – Fauria 14 pass from Moon
- Pittsburgh – Fuamatu-Ma'afala 10 run
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 25
- Seattle – FG Peterson 47
Week 5 (Sunday October 4, 1998): Bye Week
Week 6 (Sunday October 11, 1998): at [Cincinnati Bengals]
at Cinergy Field, Cincinnati- Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 59,979
- Referee: Tom White
- TV announcers: Don Criqui, Beasley Reece
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 40
- Pittsburgh – Bettis 13 run
- Cincinnati – FG Pelfrey 44
- Cincinnati – Scott 44 pass from O'Donnell
- Pittsburgh – Huntley 9 run
- Cincinnati – FG Pelfrey 48
- Cincinnati – Scott 30 pass from O'Donnell
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 40
- Cincinnati – Pickens 25 pass from O'Donnell
Week 7 (Sunday October 18, 1998): vs. [Baltimore Ravens]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
- Game weather: 73 °F
- Game attendance: 58,620
- Referee: Ron Blum
- TV announcers: Kevin Harlan, Sam Wyche
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 41
- Baltimore – FG Stover 41
- Baltimore – FG Stover 40
- Pittsburgh – C. Johnson 55 pass from Stewart
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 42
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 40
Week 8 (Monday October 26, 1998): at [Kansas City Chiefs]
- Game time: 8:20 pm EST
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 79,431
- Referee: Bernie Kukar
- TV announcers: Al Michaels, Dan Dierdorf & Boomer Esiason, Lesley Visser
- Pittsburgh – McAfee recovered blocked punt in end zone
- Kansas City – FG Stoyanovich 20
- Kansas City – FG Stoyanovich 28
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 34
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 22
- Kansas City – Rison 2 pass from Grbac
- Pittsburgh – C. Johnson 5 pass from Stewart
Week 9 (Sunday November 1, 1998): vs. [Tennessee Oilers]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EST
- Game weather: 55 °F
- Game attendance: 58,222
- Referee: Mike Carey
- TV announcers: Ian Eagle, Mark May
- Tennessee – FG Del Greco 43
- Tennessee – Wycheck 2 pass from McNair
- Pittsburgh – C. Johnson 9 pass from Stewart
- Tennessee – Dyon 6 pass from McNair
- Tennessee – FG Del Greco 32
- Tennessee – George 37 run
- Tennessee – Davis 29 pass from McNair
- Pittsburgh – Hawkins 3 pass from Stewart
- Tennessee – Marts 27 interception return
- Pittsburgh – C. Johnson 37 pass from Tomczak
- Pittsburgh – C. Johnson 2 pass from Tomczak
Week 10 (Monday November 9, 1998): vs. [Green Bay Packers]
- Game time: 8:20 pm EST
- Game weather: 44 °F
- Game attendance: 60,507
- Referee: Ron Winter
- TV announcers: Al Michaels, Dan Dierdorf & Boomer Esiason, Lesley Visser
- Pittsburgh – C. Johnson 8 pass from Stewart
- Pittsburgh – Stewart 1 run
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 45
- Pittsburgh – Fuamatu-Ma'afala 5 run
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 21
- Green Bay – FG Longwell 42
- Green Bay – McKenzie 88 fumble return
- Green Bay – Harris 2 run
- Green Bay – FG Longwell 37
Week 11 (Sunday November 15, 1998): at [Tennessee Oilers]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EST
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 41,104
- Referee: Johnny Grier
- TV announcers: Craig Bolerjack, John Dockery
- Tennessee – FG Del Greco 46
- Pittsburgh – Bruener 10 pass from Stewart
- Tennessee – Davis 25 pass from McNair
- Pittsburgh – Fuamatu-Ma'afala 26 pass from Stewart
- Tennessee – FG Del Greco 24
- Tennessee – FG Del Greco 22
- Tennessee – Roan recovered fumble in end zone
Week 12 (Sunday November 22, 1998): vs. [Jacksonville Jaguars]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EST
- Game weather: 47 °F
- Game attendance: 59,124
- Referee: Walt Coleman
- TV announcers: Kevin Harlan, Sam Wyche
- Pittsburgh – Washington 52 interception return
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 38
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 29
- Jacksonville – Taylor 2 run
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 41
- Pittsburgh – Bruener 9 pass from Stewart
- Jacksonville – J. Smith 33 pass from Brunell
- Pittsburgh – Washington 78 interception return
Week 13 (Thursday November 26, 1998): at [Detroit Lions]
- Game time: 12:30 pm EST
- Game weather: Dome
- Game attendance: 78,139
- Referee: Phil Luckett
- TV announcers: Greg Gumbel, Phil Simms, Armen Keteyian
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 30
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 38
- Detroit – FG Hanson 45
- Pittsburgh – Blackwell 24 pass from Stewart
- Detroit – FG Hanson 52
- Detroit – Moore 21 pass from Batch
- Detroit – FG Hanson 35
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 25
- Detroit – FG Hanson 42
Week 14 (Sunday December 6, 1998): vs. [New England Patriots]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EST
- Game weather: 68 °F
- Game attendance: 58,632
- Referee: Dick Hantak
- TV announcers: Verne Lundquist, Randy Cross, and Michele Tafoya
- New England – FG Vinatieri 21
- New England – FG Vinatieri 29
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 49
- New England – Glenn 86 pass from Bledsoe
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 26
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 43
- New England – FG Vinatieri 35
- New England – Edwards 4 run
Week 15 (Sunday December 13, 1998): at [Tampa Bay Buccaneers]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EST
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 65,335
- Referee: Tony Corrente
- TV announcers: Verne Lundquist, Randy Cross, and Michele Tafoya
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 27
- Tampa Bay – FG Husted 39
- Tampa Bay – FG Husted 37
- Tampa Bay – Alstott 3 run
- Tampa Bay – FG Husted 21
Week 16 (Sunday December 20, 1998): vs. [Cincinnati Bengals]
- Game time: 1:00 pm EST
- Game weather: 42 °F
- Game attendance: 52,017
- Referee: Bernie Kukar
- TV announcers: Ian Eagle, Mark May
- Cincinnati – FG Pelfrey 33
- Cincinnati – Shade 55 fumble return
- Cincinnati – FG Pelfrey 37
- Pittsburgh – Lake 15 interception return
- Cincinnati – FG Pelfrey 43
- Pittsburgh – Oldham 54 fumble return
- Pittsburgh – Bettis 4 run
- Cincinnati – Scott 61 pass from Blake
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 22
- Cincinnati – FG Pelfrey 21
Week 17 (Monday December 28, 1998): at [Jacksonville Jaguars]
- Game time: 8:20 pm EST
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 74,143
- Referee: Bill Carollo
- TV announcers: Al Michaels, Dan Dierdorf & Boomer Esiason, Lesley Visser
- Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 24
- Jacksonville – Quinn 15 run
- Jacksonville – Taylor 9 pass from Quinn
- Jacksonville – Taylor 12 run
Standings