The 1998 St. Louis Rams season was the team's 61st year with the National Football League (NFL) and the fourth season in St. Louis. It was the second year for head coach Dick Vermeil. The team failed to improve on its 5âÂÂ11 record from 1997, and instead finished the season 4âÂÂ12 and missed the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season, during which they had compiled a league-worst 45âÂÂ99 record.
Despite all of this, the Rams showed signs of life during the season when they beat playoff teams such as the New York Jets (who would make the AFC Championship game during the season) and the New England Patriots (who would make a wild card). Some claim that those two wins helped them build signs of strong life into next season, when they won Super Bowl XXXIV against the Tennessee Titans. Despite the Rams finishing 4âÂÂ12, six of those losses were only by a touchdown or less.