| 1998 Atlanta Falcons season | |
|---|---|
| General manager | Harold Richardson |
| Head coach | Dan Reeves Rich Brooks (weeks 16–17) |
| Home field | Georgia Dome |
| Results | |
| Record | 14–2 |
| Division place | 1st NFC West |
| Playoff finish | Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. 49ers) 20–18 Won NFC Championship (at Vikings) 30–27 (OT) Lost Super Bowl XXXIII (vs. Broncos) 19–34 |
| Pro Bowlers | QB Chris Chandler RB Jamal Anderson LB Jessie Tuggle CB Ray Buchanan S Eugene Robinson |
The 1998 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 33rd in the National Football League (NFL). The Falcons qualified for the Super Bowl for the first time under the guidance of head coach Dan Reeves in his second year with the team, becoming the first dome team to play in a Super Bowl. The Falcons won their final nine regular season games to earn the #2 seed in the National Football Conference (NFC) for the postseason and the first-week bye. They also clinched their first NFC West title since 1980. They and the Broncos both had 14–2 records, but the Falcons were the second best in the league because they had a better record against common opponents. They beat the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round and the #1-seed Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game before losing to Reeves’ old team, the Denver Broncos, 34–19 in Super Bowl XXXIII.[1] They were a perfect 8–0 at home.
Head coach Dan Reeves almost didn't make it to the end of the season. After Week 15, he was diagnosed with multiple blockages to his coronary arteries, necessitating quadruple bypass surgery. Reeves admitted he ignored the warning signs in hopes of finishing the season, but ultimately felt he needed to be checked out. Doctors stated by the time he went for treatment, he may have been “within hours of a catastrophic heart attack.”[2] Defensive coordinator Rich Brooks substituted for him as head coach during Weeks 16 and 17. Reeves returned for the playoffs and finished the season.
The Falcons ranked fourth in the league in points scored (442 points) and surrendered the fourth-fewest points (289) in 1998; the Falcons also led the league in turnover differential at +20. The Falcons set a still-standing team record for point differential, with +153. Four of the Falcons' wins were by at least 22 points.