The 1998 Seattle Seahawks season was the franchise's 23rd season in the National Football League (NFL), the 23rd playing their home games at the Kingdome, and the fourth and final under head coach head coach Dennis Erickson. They matched their 8âÂÂ8 record from 1997, but a late-season loss to the New York Jets came due to a controversial call when Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde ran in a touchdown but was downed short of the goal line yet the play was ruled a touchdown; the loss helped knock Seattle to 6âÂÂ7. They won the next two games but a loss to the Denver Broncos in the final week saw them finish 8âÂÂ8 and out of the playoffs for the tenth consecutive season.
Divisional matchups have the AFC West playing the NFC East.
Vinny Testaverde's controversial touchdown on fourth down from the five-yard line with 20 seconds remaining gave the Jets the victory. Replays showed that Testaverde's helmet crossed the goal line, but not the ball. This play is widely attributed as being responsible for bringing back instant replay to the NFL in 1999.
The 1998 Seahawks hold the record for most defensive touchdowns in a season, with 10 (as of the 2007 NFL Season). In 2012 the Chicago Bears tied the record.