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.
Notable additions include Hines Ward, Alan Faneca and Deshea Townsend.
at Ravens Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
Game time: 1:00 pm EDTGame weather:Game attendance: 68,847Referee: Walt ColemanTV announcers: (CBS) Verne Lundquist (play by play), Randy Cross (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 27Baltimore – FG Stover 41Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 49Pittsburgh – Stewart 1 run (N. Johnson kick)Pittsburgh – C. Johnson 20 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson kick)Baltimore – FG Stover 25Baltimore – J. Lewis 64 pass from Zeier (Stover kick)at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 1:00 pm EDTGame weather: 84 °F (Sunny)Game attendance: 59,084Referee: Gerald AustinTV announcers: (FOX) Kenny Albert (play by play), Tim Green (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
Chicago – Engram 54 pass from Kramer (kick failed)Pittsburgh – Bettis 1 run (N. Johnson kick)Chicago – FG Jaeger 19Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 49Pittsburgh – Coleman 13 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson kick)Chicago – FG Jaeger 36at Pro Player Stadium, Miami, Florida
Game time: 1:00 pm EDTGame weather:Game attendance: 73,748Referee: Bill CarolloTV announcers: (CBS) Verne Lundquist (play by play), Randy Cross (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
Miami – Abdul-Jabbar 3 run (Mare kick)Miami – L. Thomas 8 pass from Marino (Mare kick)Miami – Z. Thomas 17 interception return (Mare kick)at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 4:05 pm EDTGame weather: 83 °F (Partly sunny)Game attendance: 58,413Referee: Johnny GrierTV announcers: (CBS) Kevin Harlan (play by play), Sam Wyche (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 33Seattle – Fauria 14 pass from Moon (Peterson kick)Pittsburgh – Fuamatu-Ma'afala 10 run (N. Johnson kick)Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 25Seattle – FG Peterson 47at Cinergy Field, Cincinnati
Game time: 1:00 pm EDTGame weather:Game attendance: 59,979Referee: Tom WhiteTV announcers: (CBS) Don Criqui (play by play), Beasley Reece (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 40Pittsburgh – Bettis 13 run (N. Johnson kick)Cincinnati – FG Pelfrey 44Cincinnati – Scott 44 pass from O'Donnell (pass failed)Pittsburgh – Huntley 9 run (N. Johnson kick)Cincinnati – FG Pelfrey 48Cincinnati – Scott 30 pass from O'Donnell (pass failed)Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 40Cincinnati – Pickens 25 pass from O'Donnell (Pelfrey kick)at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 1:00 pm EDTGame weather: 73 °F (Partly sunny)Game attendance: 58,620Referee: Ron BlumTV announcers: (CBS) Kevin Harlan (play by play), Sam Wyche (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 41Baltimore – FG Stover 41Baltimore – FG Stover 40Pittsburgh – C. Johnson 55 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson kick)Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 42Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 40at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game time: 8:20 pm ESTGame weather:Game attendance: 79,431Referee: Bernie KukarTV announcers: (ABC) Al Michaels (play by play), Dan Dierdorf & Boomer Esiason (color commentators), Lesley Visser (sideline reporter)Scoring Drives:
Pittsburgh – McAfee recovered blocked punt in end zone (N. Johnson kick)Kansas City – FG Stoyanovich 20Kansas City – FG Stoyanovich 28Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 34Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 22Kansas City – Rison 2 pass from Grbac (Stoyanovich kick)Pittsburgh – C. Johnson 5 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson kick)at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 1:00 pm ESTGame weather: 55 °F (Cloudy)Game attendance: 58,222Referee: Mike CareyTV announcers: (CBS) Ian Eagle (play by play), Mark May (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
Tennessee – FG Del Greco 43Tennessee – Wycheck 2 pass from McNair (Del Greco kick)Pittsburgh – C. Johnson 9 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson kick)Tennessee – Dyon 6 pass from McNair (Del Greco kick)Tennessee – FG Del Greco 32Tennessee – George 37 run (Del Greco kick)Tennessee – Davis 29 pass from McNair (Del Greco kick)Pittsburgh – Hawkins 3 pass from Stewart (C. Johnson pass from Stewart)Tennessee – Marts 27 interception return (Del Greco kick)Pittsburgh – C. Johnson 37 pass from Tomczak (C. Johnson pass from Tomczak)Pittsburgh – C. Johnson 2 pass from Tomczak (Blackwell pass from Tomczak)at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 8:20 pm ESTGame weather: 44 °F (Mostly cloudy)Game attendance: 60,507Referee: Ron WinterTV announcers: (ABC) Al Michaels (play by play), Dan Dierdorf & Boomer Esiason (color commentators), Lesley Visser (sideline reporter)Scoring Drives:
Pittsburgh – C. Johnson 8 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson kick)Pittsburgh – Stewart 1 run (N. Johnson kick)Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 45Pittsburgh – Fuamatu-Ma'afala 5 run (N. Johnson kick)Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 21Green Bay – FG Longwell 42Green Bay – McKenzie 88 fumble return (pass failed)Green Bay – Harris 2 run (Freeman pass from Favre)Green Bay – FG Longwell 37at Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee
Game time: 1:00 pm ESTGame weather:Game attendance: 41,104Referee: Johnny GrierTV announcers: (CBS) Craig Bolerjack (play by play), John Dockery (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
Tennessee – FG Del Greco 46Pittsburgh – Bruener 10 pass from Stewart (George kick)Tennessee – Davis 25 pass from McNair (Del Greco kick)Pittsburgh – Fuamatu-Ma'afala 26 pass from Stewart (George kick)Tennessee – FG Del Greco 24Tennessee – FG Del Greco 22Tennessee – Roan recovered fumble in end zone (Del Greco kick)at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 1:00 pm ESTGame weather: 47 °F (Mostly sunny)Game attendance: 59,124Referee: Walt ColemanTV announcers: (CBS) Kevin Harlan (play by play), Sam Wyche (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
Pittsburgh – Washington 52 interception return (N. Johnson kick)Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 38Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 29Jacksonville – Taylor 2 run (Hollis kick)Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 41Pittsburgh – Bruener 9 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson kick)Jacksonville – J. Smith 33 pass from Brunell (McCardell pass from Brunell)Pittsburgh – Washington 78 interception return (N. Johnson kick)at Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan
Game time: 12:30 pm ESTGame weather: DomeGame attendance: 78,139Referee: Phil LuckettTV announcers: (CBS) Greg Gumbel (play by play), Phil Simms (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 30Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 38Detroit – FG Hanson 45Pittsburgh – Blackwell 24 pass from Stewart (N. Johnson kick)Detroit – FG Hanson 52Detroit – Moore 21 pass from Batch (Hanson kick)Detroit – FG Hanson 35Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 25Detroit – FG Hanson 42Week 14 (Sunday December 6, 1998): vs. New England Patriots
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 1:00 pm ESTGame weather: 68 °F (Partly sunny)Game attendance: 58,632Referee: Dick HantakTV announcers: (CBS) Verne Lundquist (play by play), Randy Cross (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
New England – FG Vinatieri 21New England – FG Vinatieri 29Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 49New England – Glenn 86 pass from Bledsoe (Vinatieri kick)Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 26Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 43New England – FG Vinatieri 35New England – Edwards 4 run (Vinatieri kick)at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Game time: 1:00 pm ESTGame weather:Game attendance: 65,335Referee: Tony CorrenteTV announcers: (CBS) Verne Lundquist (play by play), Randy Cross (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 27Tampa Bay – FG Husted 39Tampa Bay – FG Husted 37Tampa Bay – Alstott 3 run (Husted kick)Tampa Bay – FG Husted 21at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game time: 1:00 pm ESTGame weather: 42 °F (Cloudy)Game attendance: 52,017Referee: Bernie KukarTV announcers: (CBS) Ian Eagle (play by play), Mark May (color commentator)Scoring Drives:
Cincinnati – FG Pelfrey 33Cincinnati – Shade 55 fumble return (Pelfrey kick)Cincinnati – FG Pelfrey 37Pittsburgh – Lake 15 interception return (N. Johnson kick)Cincinnati – FG Pelfrey 43Pittsburgh – Oldham 54 fumble return (N. Johnson kick)Pittsburgh – Bettis 4 run (N. Johnson kick)Cincinnati – Scott 61 pass from Blake (bad snap)Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 22Cincinnati – FG Pelfrey 21at Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida
Game time: 8:20 pm ESTGame weather:Game attendance: 74,143Referee: Bill CarolloTV announcers: (ABC) Al Michaels (play by play), Dan Dierdorf & Boomer Esiason (color commentators), Lesley Visser (sideline reporter)Scoring drives
Pittsburgh – FG N. Johnson 24Jacksonville – Quinn 15 run (Hollis kick)Jacksonville – Taylor 9 pass from Quinn (Hollis kick)Jacksonville – Taylor 12 run (Hollis kick)