It is the last game in Sega's original Joe Montana/NFL series, which would be succeeded by NFL 2K.

The game runs under a modified engine of Prime Time NFL starring Deion Sanders with updated 96-97 rosters.

[1] Released after Sega had discontinued the Genesis, NFL '98 was one of the last games for the system and was largely ignored by critics.

A brief review in GamePro was dismal, stating that "Although loaded with sharp features, like customization menus and stat tracking, the gameplay, graphics, and sound are disappointing.

Players are clumsily animated, and it's easy to lose track of the ball when it's in the air—this game's almost too painful to play."