with their white jerseys. The San Francisco 49ers removed the gold trim on nameplates to just plain black. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers introduced new uniforms, changing their primary color from orange to red, and their white helmets and pants to pewter. Black and orange became trim colors. They also replaced the "Bucco Bruce" helmet logo with a red wind-swept flag featuring a white pirate skull and crossed sabres similar to a Jolly Roger. The relocated Tennessee Oilers began wearing an alternative logo on the left side of all jerseys that combined their oil rig derrick logo with elements from the flag of Tennessee. Television This was the fourth and final year under the league's four-year broadcast contracts with ABC, Fox, NBC, TNT, and ESPN. ABC, Fox, and NBC continued to televise Monday Night Football, the NFC package, the AFC package, respectively. Sunday night games aired on TNT during the first half of the season, and ESPN during the second half of the season. This was the last season to date that TNT broadcast NFL games, as well as the last for NBC until 2006. When the new TV contracts were signed near the end of the season, Fox retained the NFC package, CBS took over the AFC package, and ESPN won the right to televise all of the Sunday night games. With Mike Ditka becoming the new head coach of the New Orleans Saints, Sam Wyche was named to replace him on The NFL on NBC pregame show. NBC fired Marv Albert following Week 3 due to sexual assault charges against him; Tom Hammond replaced Albert as the network's #2 play-by-play announcer. For TNT's final season, Mark May joined Verne Lundquist and Pat Haden in a three-man booth. External links Football Outsiders 1997 DVOA Ratings and Commentary References "The Official national Football League: 1998 Record and Fact Book." Workman Publishing Co. New York. July 1998. NFL Record and Fact Book () NFL History 1991–2000 (Last accessed October 17, 2005) Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League () Steelers Fever – History of NFL Rules (Last accessed October 17, 2005) National Football League seasons National Football League