The best 1990s NFL season?

[74_75_78_79_]

I won't make this one a 'rank-them-all', just what season you thought was the best of that decade and why?

I've already opined on here numerous times that I feel it was 1998! In my opinion, the last truly great NFL season-period! Elway's Swan Song. Marino's last Marino-like year. Packers & Forty Niners breathing their last breaths as true contenders in the form of that Classic Wild Card game (TO's "coming out"-party, Holgren's last year with GB, Rice's last great year in SF, Young's last full-season of course). The 'Big 3's last year together, Cardinals' first playoff win in 51 years and against them thus fulfilling Jerry McGuire's prophesy. Doug Flutie finally breaks through in the NFL, leading Bills from 0-3 to a surprise playoff berth! Randy's Moss's Rookie Season! Randall Cunningham reviving his career! Collision-course between those 15-1-to-be Vikings and defending-Champ, Denver, who start out at 13-0! Dirty Birds and Jets (Testaverde's best year) make it to the CCs with the former actually pulling off the upset and the latter being up, 10-0, at the half! In the end, the Vikings NOT appearing in that Super Bowl ('Elway-vs-Reeves'-hype, and Falcons also being 14-2, was just enough an alternative if however barely) and the game itself being pretty dull doesn't ruin all that's already been mentioned. An exciting season I still look back fondly of!

The very beginning of the decade still involved the same '80s stalwarts with Buffalo now added to the mix. Big D and San Fran would revive their rivalry like never before, being the 'top-2' teams each year from '92-thru-'95 (though it could be argued that SF was no better than Houston, Buffalo, or maybe even KC, in '93). Pack & Broncos declare supremacy the few years after that. As myself and others have said previously, the decade's final season - and the sudden key injuries early on (some career-ending) along with Elway now retired; new faces replacing old faces in the playoffs - makes '99 quite different from the rest. Bills/Giants SB notwithstanding, the decade seemed to start out as another decade of bad Super Bowls yet (Den/Atl SB notwithstanding) it ended on a hot, promising note into the 21th Century - with the promise being overall fulfilled to this day! Very few bad SBs since #8 got that "monkey" off his back!

What season is best, and why, in what I feel (JMHO) was the last truly great decade in NFL history?

[ShinobiMusashi]

I almost posted a thread topic for this before it came up in a search so Im reviving this one instead. I actually read this post before on a search through here and it is what got me to watching through the 98 season on Youtube over this past Summer(spectacular time, so awesome what all is on Youtube as far as full games now).

I have to agree that there was a lot of special elements about 1998 that make it stand out. I'm partial to 1990 myself:

NYG vs SF Tyson vs Holyfield of the NFL type build for their MNF game and the NFCCG showdown rematch.

Buffalo Bills in general just being an awesome team. I would have to say Thurman Thomas is one of my favorite players of all time.

The whole dynamic of the AFC getting stronger, Houston, LA Raiders, Miami, Kansas City all suddenly way better and stronger looking compared to shape of AFC 84 to 89. Cincinnati after down year in 89 was back to being sharp team with Super Bowl experience in 1990 even though they had issues.

Washington vs NYG vs Philly in the NFC East, get real, Dallas was getting stronger too with good young 7-9 team. Peak NFC greatness I think. Got to be in discussion for toughest division race in NFL history.

Pretty sweet spot where there were so many legends of the 80's still at or close to their primes that year but so many future stars were there mixing it up with them. You had Bo Jackson and Joe Montana as a 49er on the field still, peak Randall Cunningham Ultimate Weapon season, something about that makes this 1990 season great to me. I feel like the great teams from later in the decade the 94 49ers, 95 Cowboys, and 96 Packers types would have struggled against some of C-level teams from 1990 NFL. Just seemed bigger stronger harder hitting football that year for some reason to me.

I really love 1992, and find 1993 to be a wildly interesting anomaly type year(if not the most interesting of those type seasons). 1991 had a lot going for it too but was also missing a lot it seemed. 1994 was great for all the 75 anny flare(that was infinitely better done than NFL 100). 1995 and 1996 seasons also had a lot going for them that stood out for this decade. Those 2 were probably my peak years of fandom actually. I dropped off through 97 and didn't watch barely anything in 98, then didn't pay attention to the NFL at all in 99(but got back into it in those playoffs big time).

[74_75_78_79_]

I almost posted a thread topic for this before it came up in a search so Im reviving this one instead. I actually read this post before on a search through here and it is what got me to watching through the 98 season on Youtube over this past Summer(spectacular time, so awesome what all is on Youtube as far as full games now).

I have to agree that there was a lot of special elements about 1998 that make it stand out. I'm partial to 1990 myself:

NYG vs SF Tyson vs Holyfield of the NFL type build for their MNF game and the NFCCG showdown rematch.

Buffalo Bills in general just being an awesome team. I would have to say Thurman Thomas is one of my favorite players of all time.

The whole dynamic of the AFC getting stronger, Houston, LA Raiders, Miami, Kansas City all suddenly way better and stronger looking compared to shape of AFC 84 to 89. Cincinnati after down year in 89 was back to being sharp team with Super Bowl experience in 1990 even though they had issues.

Washington vs NYG vs Philly in the NFC East, get real, Dallas was getting stronger too with good young 7-9 team. Peak NFC greatness I think. Got to be in discussion for toughest division race in NFL history.

Pretty sweet spot where there were so many legends of the 80's still at or close to their primes that year but so many future stars were there mixing it up with them. You had Bo Jackson and Joe Montana as a 49er on the field still, peak Randall Cunningham Ultimate Weapon season, something about that makes this 1990 season great to me. I feel like the great teams from later in the decade the 94 49ers, 95 Cowboys, and 96 Packers types would have struggled against some of C-level teams from 1990 NFL. Just seemed bigger stronger harder hitting football that year for some reason to me.

I really love 1992, and find 1993 to be a wildly interesting anomaly type year(if not the most interesting of those type seasons). 1991 had a lot going for it too but was also missing a lot it seemed. 1994 was great for all the 75 anny flare(that was infinitely better done than NFL 100). 1995 and 1996 seasons also had a lot going for them that stood out for this decade. Those 2 were probably my peak years of fandom actually. I dropped off through 97 and didn't watch barely anything in 98, then didn't pay attention to the NFL at all in 99(but got back into it in those playoffs big time).

Damn, I'm flattered, lol. Glad to have been the one to inspire you to truly roll up your sleeves and explore that '98 season. Sure-enough you know, and remember, more of it than I do.

Whether sports, pop-culture, politics, world events, society-in-general, etc, 1998 is not the 'typical' 1990s year. You'd likely think of an earlier year in the decade when thinking what year best epitomizes the decade itself. But I still consider it the best NFL season of that decade with no other season since being as good, IMO.

You can say the same for the NBA/Bulls being it was Jordan's 'last dance' with them. There was a strike-shortened season in '98/'99, Jordan and practically everyone else were gone from the Bulls, and the following season and beyond it was really different from then on for sure.

[JWL]

1998

[ShinobiMusashi]

I almost posted a thread topic for this before it came up in a search so Im reviving this one instead. I actually read this post before on a search through here and it is what got me to watching through the 98 season on Youtube over this past Summer(spectacular time, so awesome what all is on Youtube as far as full games now).

I have to agree that there was a lot of special elements about 1998 that make it stand out. I'm partial to 1990 myself:

NYG vs SF Tyson vs Holyfield of the NFL type build for their MNF game and the NFCCG showdown rematch.

Buffalo Bills in general just being an awesome team. I would have to say Thurman Thomas is one of my favorite players of all time.

The whole dynamic of the AFC getting stronger, Houston, LA Raiders, Miami, Kansas City all suddenly way better and stronger looking compared to shape of AFC 84 to 89. Cincinnati after down year in 89 was back to being sharp team with Super Bowl experience in 1990 even though they had issues.

Washington vs NYG vs Philly in the NFC East, get real, Dallas was getting stronger too with good young 7-9 team. Peak NFC greatness I think. Got to be in discussion for toughest division race in NFL history.

Pretty sweet spot where there were so many legends of the 80's still at or close to their primes that year but so many future stars were there mixing it up with them. You had Bo Jackson and Joe Montana as a 49er on the field still, peak Randall Cunningham Ultimate Weapon season, something about that makes this 1990 season great to me. I feel like the great teams from later in the decade the 94 49ers, 95 Cowboys, and 96 Packers types would have struggled against some of C-level teams from 1990 NFL. Just seemed bigger stronger harder hitting football that year for some reason to me.

I really love 1992, and find 1993 to be a wildly interesting anomaly type year(if not the most interesting of those type seasons). 1991 had a lot going for it too but was also missing a lot it seemed. 1994 was great for all the 75 anny flare(that was infinitely better done than NFL 100). 1995 and 1996 seasons also had a lot going for them that stood out for this decade. Those 2 were probably my peak years of fandom actually. I dropped off through 97 and didn't watch barely anything in 98, then didn't pay attention to the NFL at all in 99(but got back into it in those playoffs big time).

Damn, I'm flattered, lol. Glad to have been the one to inspire you to truly roll up your sleeves and explore that '98 season. Sure-enough you know, and remember, more of it than I do.

Whether sports, pop-culture, politics, world events, society-in-general, etc, 1998 is not the 'typical' 1990s year. You'd likely think of an earlier year in the decade when thinking what year best epitomizes the decade itself. But I still consider it the best NFL season of that decade with no other season since being as good, IMO.

You can say the same for the NBA/Bulls being it was Jordan's 'last dance' with them. There was a strike-shortened season in '98/'99, Jordan and practically everyone else were gone from the Bulls, and the following season and beyond it was really different from then on for sure.

The monoculture definitely went through major shift in 97 and the 90's just took on a whole different feel around that time for some reason looking back.

[CSKreager]

I almost posted a thread topic for this before it came up in a search so Im reviving this one instead. I actually read this post before on a search through here and it is what got me to watching through the 98 season on Youtube over this past Summer(spectacular time, so awesome what all is on Youtube as far as full games now).

I have to agree that there was a lot of special elements about 1998 that make it stand out. I'm partial to 1990 myself:

NYG vs SF Tyson vs Holyfield of the NFL type build for their MNF game and the NFCCG showdown rematch.

Buffalo Bills in general just being an awesome team. I would have to say Thurman Thomas is one of my favorite players of all time.

The whole dynamic of the AFC getting stronger, Houston, LA Raiders, Miami, Kansas City all suddenly way better and stronger looking compared to shape of AFC 84 to 89. Cincinnati after down year in 89 was back to being sharp team with Super Bowl experience in 1990 even though they had issues.

Washington vs NYG vs Philly in the NFC East, get real, Dallas was getting stronger too with good young 7-9 team. Peak NFC greatness I think. Got to be in discussion for toughest division race in NFL history.

Pretty sweet spot where there were so many legends of the 80's still at or close to their primes that year but so many future stars were there mixing it up with them. You had Bo Jackson and Joe Montana as a 49er on the field still, peak Randall Cunningham Ultimate Weapon season, something about that makes this 1990 season great to me. I feel like the great teams from later in the decade the 94 49ers, 95 Cowboys, and 96 Packers types would have struggled against some of C-level teams from 1990 NFL. Just seemed bigger stronger harder hitting football that year for some reason to me.

Toughest division race? The Giants basically had a 4 game lead by Halloween!

That was an overrated year for the NFC East- Washington couldn’t win outside of RFK, Philly was a paper tiger, Dallas had no defense, and the Cardinals were the Cardinals

I think 1990 was the weakest season of that decade. What you call “bigger stronger harder hitting football” I see as a bad year for offensive talent- Marion Butts was the 2nd leading rusher in the NFL

To me it was a year where the quality of football was poor, symbolized by those NYG/SF games between 1 team that couldn’t run and another that couldn’t throw resulting in 2 of the most overrated overhyped games in NFL history

[7DnBrnc53]

Washington couldn’t win outside of RFK (1990)

A year later (1991), they didn't do that much better on the road:

Week 2: They won 33-31 at Dallas, but they were down 21-10 at one point, and 24-23 going into the fourth quarter. Dallas outgained the Redskins 349-332.
Week 4: At Cincinnati, they blew a 27-10 lead in the fourth quarter after Jim Breech made a FG in the fourth quarter, but they were able to pull it out with a Gerald Riggs run right before the 2-minute warning.
Week 8: On ESPN's Sunday Night Pig Out, they trailed the defending champ Giants 13-0 at halftime before coming back to win 17-13. Rypien threw the game winning 54-yard TD to Gary Clark, but didn't have a great outing, 12-25 for 159 yards and a 78.6 rating.
Week 15: They actually fell behind the lowly Cardinals 14=0 in the desert at halftime before scoring 20 unanswered in the second half to get another win (they almost lost to a Stan Gelbaugh-led team, for crying out loud. And they're the best ever? LMFAO!!!).

[Crazy Packers Fan]

1999 is my unbiased pick for best nineties season. The Packers were awful for most of the year, so it's not because of them I say so, although that crazy final day of the regular season involved them and was a big reason why I remember it so vividly. The emergence of the Rams out of utterly nowhere is sort of like the Indiana football story this past year in college football. Then you had the Jaguars having what looked like the best team in football, the Titans and their bizarre playoff run, the rise of Peyton Manning, and the last stand of Dan Marino and Jimmy Johnson. Pretty much all the traditional powers collapsed in '99 and were replaced by teams that came out of nowhere. The division champions were Indy, Jacksonville, Seattle, Washington, Tampa, and the Rams. I guarantee no preseason magazine had that. Finally, Super Bowl XXXIV was the best Super Bowl of the decade (or at least in the top two if you want to make an argument for XXXII). If there was one non-Packers SB season I could relive, it'd be this one.

[ShinobiMusashi]

1999 is my unbiased pick for best nineties season. The Packers were awful for most of the year, so it's not because of them I say so, although that crazy final day of the regular season involved them and was a big reason why I remember it so vividly. The emergence of the Rams out of utterly nowhere is sort of like the Indiana football story this past year in college football. Then you had the Jaguars having what looked like the best team in football, the Titans and their bizarre playoff run, the rise of Peyton Manning, and the last stand of Dan Marino and Jimmy Johnson. Pretty much all the traditional powers collapsed in '99 and were replaced by teams that came out of nowhere. The division champions were Indy, Jacksonville, Seattle, Washington, Tampa, and the Rams. I guarantee no preseason magazine had that. Finally, Super Bowl XXXIV was the best Super Bowl of the decade (or at least in the top two if you want to make an argument for XXXII). If there was one non-Packers SB season I could relive, it'd be this one.

It was a super interesting season. I did a deep dive into it on another forum back in 2021 and came to realization that so much happened that had huge effect on the following 25-26 years of NFL history. I have thought a lot about writing a book about that season using that forum thread as an outline, I'd call it "Any Given Sunday" may need to get started on it soon so I could release it on the 30 year anny in 3 years.

I didn't watch any NFL in 1998, and none of the 1999 regular season, when I caught some of the Wild card games for the 99 playoffs was instantly hooked back into it, seemed like a whole new league from what we got in the 90's all of a sudden and super interesting.

[ShinobiMusashi]

One thing about 99 I love is the rise of Faulk and Stephen Davis. I remember seeing Faulk torch the Oilers on his first ever game as a rookie opening day 94 and thinking he was going to be a huge star. Then he just kind of fizzled out for the next 4 years and you never heard about him. Then I always remember thinking Stephen Davis had potential to be a bad ass starting running back when Washington would sporadically use him in 96-97, little runs here and there he would get you would wonder why they didn't use him more. So tuning in for the 99 playoffs after missing all of 98-99 and seeing that they were the 2 most dominant backs in the league in 99 season was cool.