| 1998 Kansas City Chiefs season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Lamar Hunt |
| General manager | Carl Peterson |
| Head coach | Marty Schottenheimer |
| Home field | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 7–9 |
| Division place | 4th AFC West |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers | 1 |
| AP All-Pros | None |
The 1998 season was the Kansas City Chiefs' 39th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 29th overall.
The season began with the team hoping to not only improve on their 13–3 campaign the previous season but to also avenge their loss in the 1998 playoffs against the eventual Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos. However, instead, the Chiefs failed to succeed in the highly competitive AFC West.
Kansas City began the season on a bright spot, with a 4–1 record and three wins against division rivals; however they then endured a 6-game losing streak, dropping their record to 4–7, and the team finished with a 7–9 record and 4th place in the AFC West. The biggest low point of the season was during a Week 11 matchup against their division rival Denver Broncos, in which the Chiefs defense were penalized five times on the same drive, including three penalties by linebacker Derrick Thomas, topping off an embarrassing 30–7 loss. Following the season, head coach Marty Schottenheimer announced his intention to resign after ten seasons with the team, and defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham assumed coaching duties for 1999.
This was the first time Derrick Thomas was not named to the Pro Bowl roster.