1998 Detroit Lions season

The 1998 Detroit Lions season was their 69th in the National Football League (NFL). The team failed to improve upon their previous season's output of 9–7 and did not make a repeat playoff appearance, instead posting their third 5–11 mark in seven seasons. This was the last season Barry Sanders would play in the NFL.

1998 Detroit Lions season
Owner	William Clay Ford Sr.
General manager	Chuck Schmidt
Head coach	Bobby Ross
Home field	Pontiac Silverdome
Results
Record	5–11
Division place	4th NFC Central
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	3 RB Barry Sanders DT Luther Elliss DE Robert Porcher
AP All-Pros	1 RB Barry Sanders (2nd team)
Uniform

Offseason

Additions	Subtractions
C Jim Pyne (Buccaneers)	WR/KR Glyn Milburn (Bears)
LB Allen Aldridge (Broncos)	DT Shane Bonham (49ers)
LB Rob Fredrickson (Raiders)	TE Pete Metzelaars (retirement)
	DT Mike Wells (Lions)

NFL Draft

Main article: 1998 NFL draft

1998 Detroit Lions draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	20	Terry Fair	Defensive back	Tennessee
2	50	Germane Crowell	Wide receiver	Virginia
2	60	Charlie Batch	Quarterback	Eastern Michigan
6	185	Jamaal Alexander	Defensive back	Southern Miss
7	207	Chris Liwienski	Tackle	Indiana
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Undrafted Free Agents

1998 Undrafted Free Agents of note

Player	Position	College
Tutu Atwell	Wide receiver	Minnesota
Kerlin Blaise	Guard	Miami (FL)
Lamar Campbell	Cornerback	Wisconsin
Kywin Supernaw	Defensive back	Indiana
Travis Reece	Running back	Michigan State
Corey Thomas	Wide Receiver	Duke

Personnel

Staff

1998 Detroit Lions staff
Front office Owner and chairman – William Clay Ford Sr. Vice chairman – William Clay Ford Jr. Executive vice president and coo – Chuck Schmidt Vice president of football operations – Larry Lee Vice president of player personnel – Ron Hughes Director of pro scouting – Kevin Colbert Head coaches Head coach – Bobby Ross Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Sylvester Croom Quarterbacks – Jim Zorn Running backs – Frank Falks Wide receivers – Jerry Sullivan Tight ends – Bob Palcic Offensive line – Jack Henry Offensive assistant – Stan Kwan Quality control/offense – John Misciagna			Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Larry Peccatiello Defensive line – Brian Baker Linebackers – Gary Moeller Defensive backs – Richard Selcer Defensive assistant – Don Clemons Quality control/defense – Dennis Murphy Special teams coaches Special teams – Chuck Priefer Special teams assistant – Stan Kwan Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Bert Hill

Roster

1998 Detroit Lions roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 13 Chris Dittoe 19 Scott Mitchell 14 Frank Reich Running backs (RB) 21 Jerris McPhail 36 Travis Reece 34 Ron Rivers 20 Barry Sanders 30 Cory Schlesinger FB 44 Tommy Vardell FB Wide receivers (WR) 80 Tommie Boyd 82 Germane Crowell 84 Herman Moore 87 Johnnie Morton 83 Brian Stablein 15 Corey Thomas Tight ends (TE) 81 Pete Chryplewicz 89 Walter Rasby 86 David Sloan

Offensive linemen (OL) 79 Eric Beverly C 77 Mike Compton 64 Jeff Hartings G 70 Andre Johnson G/T 61 Jim Pyne C 75 Tony Ramirez T 72 Ray Roberts T 62 Tony Semple G 71 Larry Tharpe T Defensive linemen (DL) 95 Mike Chalenski DE 94 Luther Elliss DT 73 Darius Holland DT 91 Robert Porcher DE 98 Don Sasa DT 97 Tracy Scroggins DE 92 Marc Spindler DT 93 Kerwin Waldroup DE

Linebackers (LB) 55 Allen Aldridge 53 Rob Fredrickson OLB 58 George Jamison OLB 99 Richard Jordan MLB 52 Scott Kowalkowski OLB 59 Kevin O'Neill MLB Defensive backs (DB) 24 Kevin Abrams CB 35 Robert Bailey CB 39 Lamar Campbell CB/S 27 Mark Carrier FS 23 Terry Fair 25 Greg Jeffries FS 28 Ron Rice SS 42 Ryan Stewart SS 29 Kywin Supernaw SS 32 Bryant Westbrook CB Special teams  4 Jason Hanson K 18 John Jett P

Practice squad -- Brad Keeney DT 26 Brock Olivo FB -- Deron Thorp T 53 active, 11 inactive, 3 practice squad Reserve 10 Charlie Batch QB (IR) 65 Kerlin Blaise G (IR) 57 Stephen Boyd LB (IR) 69 Jerome Davis T (IR) 66 Hessley Hempstead G (IR) 67 Travis Kirschke DE (IR) 90 Dan Owens DT (IR) 73 Juan Roque T (IR) 54 Matt Russell LB (IR) 49 Eric Stocz TE (IR) 96 Henry Taylor DT (IR) Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 6	at Green Bay Packers	L 19–38	0–1	Lambeau Field	60,102
2	September 13	Cincinnati Bengals	L 28–34 (OT)	0–2	Pontiac Silverdome	66,354
3	September 20	at Minnesota Vikings	L 6–29	0–3	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	63,107
4	September 28	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 27–6	1–3	Pontiac Silverdome	74,724
5	October 4	at Chicago Bears	L 27–31	1–4	Soldier Field	66,944
6	Bye
7	October 15	Green Bay Packers	W 27–20	2–4	Pontiac Silverdome	77,932
8	October 25	Minnesota Vikings	L 13–34	2–5	Pontiac Silverdome	77,885
9	November 1	Arizona Cardinals	L 15–17	2–6	Pontiac Silverdome	66,087
10	November 8	at Philadelphia Eagles	L 9–10	2–7	Veterans Stadium	66,785
11	November 15	Chicago Bears	W 26–3	3–7	Pontiac Silverdome	63,152
12	November 22	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 28–25	4–7	Raymond James Stadium	64,265
13	November 26	Pittsburgh Steelers	W 19–16 (OT)	5–7	Pontiac Silverdome	78,139
14	December 6	at Jacksonville Jaguars	L 22–37	5–8	Alltel Stadium	70,717
15	December 14	at San Francisco 49ers	L 13–35	5–9	3Com Park	68,585
16	December 20	Atlanta Falcons	L 17–24	5–10	Pontiac Silverdome	67,143
17	December 27	at Baltimore Ravens	L 10–19	5–11	Raven Stadium	68,045
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

NFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
(1) Minnesota Vikings	15	1	0	.938	556	296	W8
(5) Green Bay Packers	11	5	0	.688	408	319	W3
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	8	8	0	.500	314	295	W1
Detroit Lions	5	11	0	.313	306	378	L4
Chicago Bears	4	12	0	.250	276	368	L1

Season summary

Week 1

See also: 1998 Green Bay Packers season and Lions–Packers rivalry

Week One: Detroit Lions (0–0) at Green Bay Packers (0–0)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Lions	3	3	13	0	19
Packers	10	7	7	14	38

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

• Date: September 6, 1998
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: 74 °F or 23.3 °C
• Game attendance: 60,102
• TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton and Matt Millen
• Pro-Football-Reference.com, The Football Database

Game information

First quarter GB – Ryan Longwell 32-yard field goal, 9:19. Packers 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 58 yards, 5:41. GB – LeRoy Butler 32-yard interception return (Ryan Longwell kick), 6:23. Packers 10–0. DET – Jason Hanson 47-yard field goal, 1:10. Packers 10–3. Drive: 10 plays, 51 yards, 5:13. Second quarter GB – Dorsey Levens 4-yard run (Ryan Longwell kick), 9:40. Packers 17–3. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 6:30. DET – Jason Hanson 43-yard field goal. Packers 17–6. Drive: 11 plays, 63 yards, 2:11. Third quarter DET – Herman Moore 25-yard pass from Scott Mitchell (pass failed), 12:39. Packers 17–12. Drive: 7 plays, 50 yards, 2:21. GB – Antonio Freeman 6-yard pass from Brett Favre (Ryan Longwell kick), 0:17. Packers 24–12. Drive: 18 plays, 85 yards, 9:34. DET – Terry Fair 101-yard kickoff return (Jason Hanson kick), 0:00. Packers 24–19. Fourth quarter GB – Roell Preston 100-yard kickoff return (Ryan Longwell kick), 14:38. Packers 31–19. GB – Antonio Freeman 84-yard pass from Brett Favre (Ryan Longwell kick), 1:53. Packers 38–19. Drive: 3 plays, 86 yards, 0:29. Top passers DET – Scott Mitchell – 23/44, 248 yards, TD, INT GB – Brett Favre – 24/32, 277 yards, 2 TD Top rushers DET – Barry Sanders – 17 rushes, 70 yards GB – Dorsey Levens – 25 rushes, 59 yards, TD Top receivers DET – Herman Moore – 9 receptions, 100 yards, TD GB – Antonio Freeman – 4 receptions, 110 yards, 2 TD

Week 13 (Thanksgiving)

See also: 1998 Pittsburgh Steelers season

Week Thirteen: Pittsburgh Steelers (7-4) at Detroit Lions (4–7)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Steelers	0	6	7	3	0	16
Lions	0	3	3	10	3	19

at Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan

• Date: November 26, 1998
• Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST
• Game weather: Dome
• Game attendance: 78,139
• Referee: Phil Luckett
• TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel (play by play), Phil Simms (color commentator), Armen Keteyian (Sideline Reporter)
• [1], The Football Database

Game information

First quarter No scoring Second quarter PIT – Norm Johnson 30-yd FG PIT – Norm Johnson 38-yd FG DET – Jason Hanson 45-yd FG Third quarter PIT – Will Blackwell 24-yd pass from Kordell Stewart (Norm Johnson kick) DET – Jason Hanson 52-yd FG Fourth quarter DET – Herman Moore 21-yd pass from Charlie Batch (Jason Hanson kick) DET – Jason Hanson 35-yd FG PIT – Norm Johnson 25-yd FG Overtime DET – Jason Hanson 42-yd FG

Awards and Records

Barry Sanders retired as the second leading rusher in NFL history.

• 15,269 yards.
• 109 touchdowns
• 5.0 average per rush attempt