1998 Pittsburgh Steelers Season

Season Summary: The 1998 Steelers were a mess. After the promise of 1997, Kordell Stewart collapsed in his 2nd year as starter. His accuracy and decision-making fell apart, he threw 18 INTs vs 11 TDs, and the city of Pittsburgh turned on him.

Jerome Bettis churned out 1,185 yards, but without balance in the passing game, defenses stacked the box and the offense stagnated. The defense held up respectably, but couldn’t overcome constant short fields and offensive inconsistency.

The team limped to a 7-9 record, closing the season with 5 straight losses. The low point came on Thanksgiving in Detroit when referee Phil Luckett botched the overtime coin toss, giving the Lions the ball and handing Pittsburgh yet another loss, with the blunder becoming a symbol of a miserable year.