# 1998 Carolina Panthers season

The 1998 Carolina Panthers season was the franchise's 4th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the fourth and final under head coach Dom Capers. They tried to improve upon their 7-9 record in 1997, and make it to the playoffs for the second time in franchise history, but failed and finished at a franchise worst 4–12 in 1998 and fourth of five teams in the NFC West. Capers was fired at the end of the season and replaced by George Seifert.

## Offseason
### NFL Draft

The 1998 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 18 and April 19, 1998. The Panthers selected eight players in seven rounds.
1998 Carolina Panthers draft :
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College |
| 1 | 14 | Jason Peter | Defensive tackle | Nebraska |
| 3 | 62 | Chuck Wiley | Defensive end | LSU |
| 3 | 73 | Mitch Marrow | Defensive end | Pennsylvania |
| 4 | 106 | Donald Hayes | Wide receiver | Wisconsin |
| 5 | 136 | Jerry Jensen | Linebacker | Washington |
| 6 | 165 | Damien Richardson | Defensive back | Arizona State |
| 7 | 196 | Vili Maumau | Defensive tackle | Colorado |
| 7 | 228 | Jim Turner | Wide receiver | Syracuse |
| Made roster ||||||

### Undrafted Free Agents

1998 Undrafted Free Agents of note :
| Player | Position | College |
| Dameyune Craig | Quarterback | Auburn |
| Paul Janus | Tackle | Northwestern |

## Schedule

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance |
| 1 | September 6 | Atlanta Falcons | L 14–19 | 0–1 | Ericsson Stadium | 65,129 |
| 2 | September 13 | at New Orleans Saints | L 14–19 | 0–2 | Louisiana Superdome | 51,915 |
| 3 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 4 | September 27 | Green Bay Packers | L 30–37 | 0–3 | Ericsson Stadium | 69,723 |
| 5 | October 4 | at Atlanta Falcons | L 23–51 | 0–4 | Georgia Dome | 50,724 |
| 6 | October 11 | at Dallas Cowboys | L 20–27 | 0–5 | Texas Stadium | 64,181 |
| 7 | October 18 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | L 13–16 | 0–6 | Raymond James Stadium | 63,600 |
| 8 | October 25 | Buffalo Bills | L 14–30 | 0–7 | Ericsson Stadium | 64,050 |
| 9 | November 1 | New Orleans Saints | W 31–17 | 1–7 | Ericsson Stadium | 62,514 |
| 10 | November 8 | at San Francisco 49ers | L 23–25 | 1–8 | 3Com Park | 68,572 |
| 11 | November 15 | Miami Dolphins | L 9–13 | 1–9 | Ericsson Stadium | 67,887 |
| 12 | November 22 | at St. Louis Rams | W 24–20 | 2–9 | Trans World Dome | 50,716 |
| 13 | November 29 | at New York Jets | L 21–48 | 2–10 | Giants Stadium | 71,501 |
| 14 | December 6 | San Francisco 49ers | L 28–31 (OT) | 2–11 | Ericsson Stadium | 63,332 |
| 15 | December 13 | Washington Redskins | L 25–28 | 2–12 | Ericsson Stadium | 46,940 |
| 16 | December 20 | St. Louis Rams | W 20–13 | 3–12 | Ericsson Stadium | 50,047 |
| 17 | December 27 | at Indianapolis Colts | W 27–19 | 4–12 | RCA Dome | 58,182 |
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. |||||||

## Standings

NFC West :
| viewtalkedit | 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 |