1998 Indianapolis Colts season

1998 Indianapolis Colts season
General manager	Bill Polian
Head coach	Jim Mora
Home field	RCA Dome
Results
Record	3–13
Division place	5th AFC East
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	RB Marshall Faulk

The 1998 Indianapolis Colts season was the 46th season for the team in the National Football League and 15th in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Colts finished the National Football League's 1998 season with a record of 3 wins and 13 losses, and finished fifth in the AFC East division.

Coming off a 3–13 season the year before, the Colts drafted quarterback Peyton Manning with the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. Manning would mark the beginning of a new era for the Colts, as he would lead them to their second Super Bowl title nine seasons later. However, Manning's rookie season didn't help the team at all.

This season was Marshall Faulk's last with the Colts as he was traded to the St. Louis Rams in the off-season. He had his best seasons in St. Louis, helping the Rams to two Super Bowls in 1999 and 2001 and winning the league's MVP in 2000.

On November 29, the Colts played their first game in Baltimore since the controversial relocation in 1984.

The Colts finished at the bottom of the AFC West for the last time. They did not return to the bottom of their division until 2011. By that time, they would be in the AFC South.

Offseason

NFL Draft

1998 Indianapolis Colts draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	1	Peyton Manning * †	QB	Tennessee
2	32	Jerome Pathon	WR	Washington
3	71	E. G. Green	WR	Florida State	from Baltimore
4	93	Steve McKinney	C	Texas A&M	from Indianapolis via Baltimore
5	135	Antony Jordan	LB	Vanderbilt	from Cincinnati
7	190	Aaron Taylor	C	Nebraska
7	231	Corey Gaines	S	Tennessee	compensatory selection
Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Undrafted free agents

1998 Undrafted Free Agents of note

Player	Position	College
Mike Vanderjagt	Kicker	West Virginia

Personnel

Staff

1998 Indianapolis Colts staff

Front office Owner and chief executive officer – Jim Irsay President – Bill Polian Director of football operations – Dom Anile Director of pro player personnel – Clyde Powers Director of pro scouting – Chris Polian Graphic media engineer – Eric Winter Chief intern – Melinda Stephens Head coaches Head coach – Jim E. Mora Assistant head coach – George Catavolos Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Tom Moore Quarterbacks – Bruce Arians Running backs – Gene Huey Receivers – Jay Norvell Tight ends – Tony Marciano Offensive line – Howard Mudd

Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Rusty Tillman Defensive line – Greg Blache Linebackers – Mike Murphy Defensive backs – George Catavolos Defensive assistant – John Pagano Special teams coaches Special teams – Kevin Spencer Strength and conditioning Conditioning – Jon Torine Strength – Tom Zupancic

Roster

1998 Indianapolis Colts roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 18 Peyton Manning 10 Doug Nussmeier 13 Kelly Holcomb Running backs (RB) 23 Keith Elias 28 Marshall Faulk 43 Scott Greene FB 34 Craig Heyward FB 44 Chris Hetherington FB 21 Lamont Warren Wide receivers (WR) 80 Aaron Bailey 88 Marvin Harrison 86 Jerome Pathon 15 Freddie Scott 87 Torrance Small Tight ends (TE) 85 Ken Dilger 81 Marcus Pollard

Offensive linemen (OL) 78 Tarik Glenn T 74 Waverly Jackson G 60 Jason Johnson C 58 Jay Leeuwenburg C 79 Tony Mandarich T 76 Steve McKinney G 73 Adam Meadows T 72 Larry Moore G 67 Tom Myslinski G Defensive linemen (DL) 93 Jason Chorak DE 98 Dan Footman DE 62 Ellis Johnson DT 61 Tony McCoy DT 75 Mark Thomas DE 96 Van Tuinei DT 95 Bernard Whittington DE 90 Jeff Zgonina DT

Linebackers (LB) 50 Elijah Alexander 53 Mike Barber 94 Steve Conley 57 Quentin Coryatt OLB 54 Jeff Herrod ILB 52 Steve Morrison OLB 56 Andre Royal Defensive backs (DB) 47 Billy Austin S 29 Jason Belser FS 25 Robert Blackmon SS 20 Jeff Burris CB 45 Tim Hauck FS 34 Monty Montgomery CB 38 Tyrone Poole CB Special teams 83 Bradford Banta LS 17 Chris Gardocki P 12 Mike Vanderjagt K

Reserve 53 Sammie Burroughs LB (IR) 36 Charles Kirby RB (IR) 41 Nakia Reddick DB (IR) 43 Steve Rosga DB (IR) Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 6	Miami Dolphins	L 15–24	0–1	RCA Dome	60,587
2	September 13	at New England Patriots	L 6–29	0–2	Foxboro Stadium	60,068
3	September 20	at New York Jets	L 6–44	0–3	Giants Stadium	66,321
4	September 27	New Orleans Saints	L 13–19 (OT)	0–4	RCA Dome	48,480
5	October 4	San Diego Chargers	W 17–12	1–4	RCA Dome	51,988
6	October 11	Buffalo Bills	L 24–31	1–5	RCA Dome	52,938
7	October 18	at San Francisco 49ers	L 31–34	1–6	3Com Park	68,486
8	Bye
9	November 1	New England Patriots	L 16–21	1–7	RCA Dome	58,056
10	November 8	at Miami Dolphins	L 14–27	1–8	Pro Player Stadium	73,400
11	November 15	New York Jets	W 24–23	2–8	RCA Dome	55,520
12	November 22	at Buffalo Bills	L 11–34	2–9	Rich Stadium	49,032
13	November 29	at Baltimore Ravens	L 31–38	2–10	Ravens Stadium	68,898
14	December 6	at Atlanta Falcons	L 21–28	2–11	Georgia Dome	61,141
15	December 13	Cincinnati Bengals	W 39–26	3–11	RCA Dome	55,179
16	December 20	at Seattle Seahawks	L 23–27	3–12	Kingdome	58,703
17	December 27	Carolina Panthers	L 19–27	3–13	RCA Dome	58,182

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

AFC East
	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
(2) New York Jets	12	4	0	.750	416	266	W6
(4) Miami Dolphins	10	6	0	.625	321	265	L1
(5) Buffalo Bills	10	6	0	.625	400	333	W1
(6) New England Patriots	9	7	0	.563	337	329	L1
Indianapolis Colts	3	13	0	.188	310	444	L2

See also

• History of the Indianapolis Colts
• Indianapolis Colts seasons
• Colts–Patriots rivalry