1998 New Orleans Saints season

The 1998 New Orleans Saints season was the team's 32nd as a member of the National Football League (NFL).^[1]

1998 New Orleans Saints season
Head coach	Mike Ditka
Home stadium	Louisiana Superdome
Results
Record	6–10
Division place	3rd NFC West
Playoffs	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	T Willie Roaf
← 1997 Saints seasons 1999 →

The Saints failed to qualify for the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season, and after a promising start of 3–0 only equalled their 6–10 record of the previous season. In the process the Saints lost to the 0–7 Carolina Panthers and were to follow this up the following season against the expansion Browns to become the only team since the NFL/AFL merger to lose to the last winless team in successive seasons.^[2]

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1998 NFL draft

1998 New Orleans Saints draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	7	Kyle Turley *	Offensive tackle	San Diego State
2	40	Cam Cleeland	Tight end	Washington
4	97	Fred Weary	Cornerback	Florida
4	99	Julian Pittman	Defensive end	Florida State
5	132	Wilmont Perry	Running back	Livingstone
6	161	Chris Bordano	Linebacker	SMU
7	204	Andy McCullough	Wide receiver	Tennessee
7	239	Ron Warner	Defensive end	Kansas
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

^[3]

Personnel

Staff

1998 New Orleans Saints staff

Front office Owner – Tom Benson President/general manager/Chief Operating Officer – Bill Kuharich Vice-president of football operations/Assistant General Manager – Chet Franklin Director of college scouting – Bruce Lemmerman Head coaches Head coach – Mike Ditka Assistant head coach/Secondary – Rick Venturi Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Danny Abramowicz Quarterbacks – Tom Clements Running backs – Lary Kuharich Wide receivers – Harold Jackson Tight ends/offensive line Assistant – Dan Neal Offensive line – Dick Stanfel Offensive assistant – Judd Garrett

Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Zaven Yaralian Defensive line – Walt Corey Linebackers – Jack Del Rio Defensive assistant – Ned James Special teams coaches Special teams – Bobby April Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Mike Woicik Assistant Strength and Conditioning – Markus Paul

Roster

1998 New Orleans Saints roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 13 Kerry Collins 11 Billy Joe Tolliver  7 Danny Wuerffel Running backs (RB) 32 Aaron Craver KR 28 Troy Davis 33 Wilmont Perry 36 Lamar Smith Wide receivers (WR) 89 Brett Bech 86 Sean Dawkins 84 Eric Guliford 88 Andre Hastings PR 82 Qadry Ismail KR 19 Alonzo Johnson 83 Keith Poole Tight ends (TE) 85 Cam Cleeland 87 John Farquhar 81 Scott Slutzker 47 Josh Wilcox

Offensive linemen (OL) 69 Tom Ackerman C 76 Keno Hills G/T 74 Clarence Jones T 67 Andy McCollum C/G 65 Chris Naeole G 77 Willie Roaf T 68 Kyle Turley G/T Defensive linemen (DL) 97 La'Roi Glover DT 70 Uhuru Hamiter DE 94 Joe Johnson DE 93 Wayne Martin DT 75 Julian Pittman DT 95 Austin Robbins DT 91 Brady Smith DE 90 Jared Tomich DE 98 Ron Warner DE 79 Troy Wilson DE

Linebackers (LB) 54 Ink Aleaga OLB 56 Chris Bordano MLB 55 Mark Fields OLB 59 Keith Mitchell OLB 50 Kevin Mitchell MLB 52 Vinson Smith OLB Defensive backs (DB) 37 Chad Cota SS 30 Je'Rod Cherry CB/S 22 Tyronne Drakeford CB 23 Chris Hewitt CB/S 24 Rob Kelly FS 29 Sammy Knight FS 20 Earl Little SS 25 Alex Molden CB 42 Fred Weary CB Special teams (ST) 10 Doug Brien K 46 Kendall Gammon LS  3 Mark Royals P

Practice squad 27 Anthony Cobbs S  9 Jake Delhomme QB 58 Marc Lillibridge LB 96 Rob Lurtsema DE (IR) 78 Daryl Terrell G/T 53 active, 9 inactive, 4 practice squad Reserve 62 Jerry Fontenot C (IR) 12 Billy Joe Hobert QB (IR) 80 Tony Johnson TE (IR) 45 Ron Leshinski TE (Reserve/Military) 63 Troy Ridgley DT (IR) 99 Pio Sagapolutele DT (IR)  5 Heath Shuler QB (IR) 17 Gunnard Twyner WR (IR) Rookies in italics

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 6	at St. Louis Rams	W 24–17	1–0	Trans World Dome	56,943
2	September 13	Carolina Panthers	W 19–14	2–0	Louisiana Superdome	51,915
3	Bye
4	September 27	at Indianapolis Colts	W 19–13 (OT)	3–0	RCA Dome	48,480
5	October 4	New England Patriots	L 27–30	3–1	Louisiana Superdome	56,172
6	October 11	San Francisco 49ers	L 0–31	3–2	Louisiana Superdome	62,811
7	October 18	at Atlanta Falcons	L 23–31	3–3	Georgia Dome	60,774
8	October 25	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 9–3	4–3	Louisiana Superdome	52,695
9	November 1	at Carolina Panthers	L 17–31	4–4	Ericcson Stadium	62,514
10	November 8	at Minnesota Vikings	L 24–31	4–5	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	63,779
11	November 15	St. Louis Rams	W 24–3	5–5	Louisiana Superdome	46,430
12	November 22	at San Francisco 49ers	L 20–31	5–6	3Com Park	68,429
13	November 29	at Miami Dolphins	L 10–30	5–7	Pro Player Stadium	73,216
14	December 6	Dallas Cowboys	W 22–3	6–7	Louisiana Superdome	65,065
15	December 13	Atlanta Falcons	L 17–27	6–8	Louisiana Superdome	61,678
16	December 20	at Arizona Cardinals	L 17–19	6–9	Sun Devil Stadium	51,617
17	December 27	Buffalo Bills	L 33–45	6–10	Louisiana Superdome	39,707
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

NFC West
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
(2) Atlanta Falcons	14	2	0	.875	442	289	W9
(4) San Francisco 49ers	12	4	0	.750	479	328	W1
New Orleans Saints	6	10	0	.375	305	359	L3
Carolina Panthers	4	12	0	.250	336	413	W2
St. Louis Rams	4	12	0	.250	285	378	L2