1998 NFL season

The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League (NFL). The season culminated with Super Bowl XXXIII, with the Denver Broncos defeating the Atlanta Falcons 34–19 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami. The Broncos had won their first thirteen games, the best start since the undefeated 1972 Dolphins, and were tipped by some to have a realistic chance at winning all nineteen games. The Minnesota Vikings became the first team since the 1968 Baltimore Colts to win all but one of their regular season games and not win the Super Bowl. After no team had won 14 regular season games since the 1992 49ers, three teams went 14–2 or better for the only time in a 16-game season.

Notable events this season include:

• the number 1 and 2 draft picks, Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf
  • it was debated which quarterback was going to be better
    • Peyton Manning would end up winning two Super Bowls while Ryan Leaf is considered one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history
• rookie Randy Moss who would break the record for most receiving yards by a rookie
• the final season played by Hall of Famers John Elway and Barry Sanders
• the Vikings being 15–1
• the NFC championship game between the Falcons and Vikings where, despite being 14–2, the Vikings were considered to dominate the Falcons but Vikings kicker, Gary Anderson, missed a field goal which put the game into overtime and then the Falcons scored the game winning kick.