| 1998 Minnesota Vikings season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Red McCombs |
| General manager | Jeff Diamond |
| Head coach | Dennis Green |
| Home field | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome |
| Results | |
| Record | 15–1 |
| Division place | 1st NFC Central |
| Playoff finish | Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Cardinals) 41–21 Lost NFC Championship (vs. Falcons) 27–30 (OT) |
| Pro Bowlers | |
| AP All-Pros | 8
|
| Uniform | |
 | |
The 1998 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 38th in the National Football League (NFL). The Vikings became the third team in NFL history to win 15 games during the regular season,[1] which earned them the National Football Conference (NFC) Central division championship and the first overall seed in the NFC playoffs. The team entered the playoffs as the favorite to win Super Bowl XXXIII, but their season ended when they were upset by the Atlanta Falcons 30–27 in the 1998 NFC Championship Game.
The 1998 Vikings team is known for its offense, which featured veteran quarterback Randall Cunningham, running back Robert Smith, and Hall of Fame wide receivers Cris Carter and rookie Randy Moss. The team scored an NFL record 556 points during the season, and Moss set an NFL record by catching 17 touchdown passes, the most ever by a rookie. On special teams, Gary Anderson became the first placekicker in NFL history to convert every field goal and extra point he attempted. The Vikings defense ranked sixth in the league in points allowed and was led by Hall of Fame defensive tackle John Randle.
During the NFC Championship Game, Gary Anderson missed a field goal for the first time that season. Had the field goal been converted, it would have given the Vikings a nearly insurmountable 10-point lead late in the game. Instead, the Falcons tied the game on their ensuing drive and won by a field goal in sudden death overtime.
The 1998 Vikings were the first NFL team to compile a regular season record of 15–1 and not reach the Super Bowl. Their loss in the NFC Championship Game is also considered by their fans to be one of the most devastating losses in NFL history.
The 1998 Vikings are widely regarded as the greatest team in NFL history to not make the Super Bowl.[2][3][4][5][6]
Despite the team's dominance during the regular season, the Vikings only faced three teams that finished with a winning record: the Packers, the Jaguars (each of whom finished 11–5) and the Cowboys (who finished 10–6).
- ^ The others were the 1984 San Francisco 49ers and the 1985 Chicago Bears.
- ^ "Super Bowl stumble: The 16 best NFL teams of all-time that didn't reach Super Sunday". USA Today. February 3, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
- ^ "The 11 Best Teams Not To Make The Super Bowl". Bleacher Report. April 5, 2010. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
- ^ "1998 Vikings are the best team to NOT make the Super Bowl, mean-spirited study finds". Fox 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul. February 1, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
- ^ "The Greatest Team Never to Make It: An Oral History of the 1998 Vikings". Sports Illustrated. June 27, 2018. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
- ^ "1998 Vikings Named to 'Most Dominant NFL Teams' List (The Athletic); Only Non-Super Bowl Team". Minnesota Sports Fan. May 23, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2023.