The upcoming 2025 NFL playoffs will appear vastly different from those in recent memory.
With the Kansas City Chiefs not making the cut, this postseason marks the inaugural absence of Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, or Peyton Manning since the 1998 season.
Manning made the playoffs in 1999, while Brady was first to arrive two years later. Mahomes, who had been a playoff fixture since 2018, suffered a torn ACL in a Week 15 match against the Los Angeles Chargers, which led to Kansas City’s elimination and a disappointing 6-11 record.
These three legendary quarterbacks have amassed a staggering 12 Super Bowl championships among them. Notably, Brady is the sole player to have faced both Manning and Mahomes in playoff matchups, boasting a 2-3 record against Manning and an unblemished 2-0 against Mahomes, which includes a victory in Super Bowl LV.
Commencing almost 27 years since the last instance occurred, the NFL playoffs start this Saturday sans this iconic trio. Let’s take a look at the landscape back in January 1999 when Mahomes, Brady, and Manning were absent from the playoffs.
Quarterbacks at Various Career Stages
The aforementioned Mahomes, Brady, and Manning were at entirely different points in their careers at that time—particularly Mahomes, who was just three years old in January 1999.
Brady concluded his junior year at Michigan with a win over Arkansas in the Citrus Bowl right before the playoffs kicked off. He accumulated 209 passing yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions, finishing the season with 2,427 passing yards and 14 touchdowns. One more year in Michigan would precede his notable sixth-round selection in the 2000 NFL draft.
Manning had just finished a tumultuous rookie season where he became a part of history for all the wrong reasons. He threw for 3,739 yards and 26 touchdowns but led the league with a staggering 28 interceptions—the highest ever by a rookie quarterback in a single season. The Indianapolis Colts ended the year with a 3-13 record, but Manning rebounded impressively in his second season, earning his first Pro Bowl nod and finishing third in MVP voting.
In the broader NFL narrative, the Denver Broncos secured their second consecutive Super Bowl as John Elway, a Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback, retired. Additionally, Randy Moss and Charles Woodson took home the Rookie of the Year awards for offense and defense, respectively. The Philadelphia Eagles, also having struggled, finished 3-13, leading to the dismissal of head coach Ray Rhodes and the appointment of Andy Reid.
NBA Lockout in Effect
marked the inaugural occurrence of game cancellations owing to labor disputes.
The San Antonio Spurs clinched the championship by overcoming the New York Knicks, laying the groundwork for a dynasty that would yield five titles. Tim Duncan of the Spurs was named NBA Finals MVP, boasting averages of 27.4 points and 14 rebounds.
Titanic Dominated the Box Office
1998 was characterized by impressive film releases, but none rivaled the box-office triumph of «Titanic.»
Debuting in December 1997, the film grossed over $600 million in 1998 alone, remaining the highest-grossing film until «Avatar» in 2009, ultimately exceeding a lifetime gross of $2 billion.
«Titanic» garnered 14 Academy Award nominations, tying for the all-time record, and secured 11 wins, including Best Picture and Director—making it the only film in history to achieve 11 Oscars.
The San Diego Padres faced off against the championship. Yankees’ Scott Brosius earned the World Series MVP title with a .471 batting average, contributing two home runs and six RBIs during this series.
The New York Yankees went on to claim two successive World Series titles, with 2000 marking their fourth in five years. They were on the verge of a fourth consecutive victory, but fell to the Miami Marlins in a seven-game Series in 2001.
The Sopranos’ Premiere Approaching
One of the most pivotal television series of all time premiered on HBO on January 10, 1999. Following mob boss Tony Soprano from New Jersey, it became an immediate sensation, and Season 1 holds a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The inaugural season secured five Golden Globe Awards, including Best TV Series — Drama and Best Actor in a TV Series — Drama for James Gandolfini. At the Primetime Emmys, it garnered 16 nominations, winning four.
Overall, the series achieved 312 nominations and 127 wins across a total of six seasons.
