The Comeback: 1998 Wild Card vs. Tennessee Titans
From the Oilers to the Titans: A legacy of AFL championships, Music City miracles, and 2,000-yard rushers.
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The Titans play their home games at Nissan Stadium; the team will move to an indoor stadium with the same name in 2027.
Quick Facts
- Date
- January 3, 1999
- Location
- Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia
- Opponent
- San Francisco 49ers
- Final score
- Atlanta 20, San Francisco 18
- Key player
- Chris Chandler
- Significance
- NFC Wild Card Playoff Victory
Lore & Background
Originally known as the Houston Oilers, the team was founded in 1959 by Houston oil tycoon Bud Adams. The Oilers won the first two AFL championships and joined the NFL as part of the AFL–NFL merger in 1970. In 1997, the Oilers moved to Tennessee, playing as the Tennessee Oilers in Memphis and Nashville before changing their name to the Titans in 1999. The Titans played in Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000, losing 23–16 to the St. Louis Rams.
Reader's Guide
The Titans' training facility is in Saint Thomas Sports Park, a 31-acre site at the MetroCenter complex in Nashville. The team's home stadium is Nissan Stadium, originally Adelphia Coliseum. The Titans are the only NFL team to have two players rush for 2,000 yards in a season: Chris Johnson (2009) and Derrick Henry (2020).
Did You Know?
- The Titans' name was unveiled on November 14, 1998, referencing Nashville's nickname 'Athens of the South'.
- The Titans lost Super Bowl XXXIV to the St. Louis Rams, falling one yard short of a potential game-tying touchdown.
More in Iconic Matches & Games
Elsewhere in Atlanta Falcons
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced