2002 Oakland Raiders season

2002 Oakland Raiders season
OwnerAl Davis
General managerAl Davis
Head coachBill Callahan
Home fieldNetwork Associates Coliseum
Results
Record11–5
Division place1st AFC West
Playoff finishWon Divisional Playoffs
(vs. Jets) 30–10
Won AFC Championship
(vs. Titans) 41–24
Lost Super Bowl XXXVII
(vs. Buccaneers) 21–48
Pro BowlersQB Rich Gannon
WR Jerry Rice
T Lincoln Kennedy
C Barret Robbins
FS Rod Woodson
AP All-ProsQB Rich Gannon (1st team)
WR Jerry Rice (2nd team)
T Lincoln Kennedy (1st team)
C Barret Robbins (1st team)
FS Rod Woodson (1st team)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum during the Raiders' week 17 win over Kansas City

The 2002 season was the Oakland Raiders' 33rd in the National Football League (NFL), their 43rd overall, their eighth since returning to Oakland and their first under head coach Bill Callahan. The Raiders played their home games at Network Associates Coliseum as members of the AFC West. The Raiders had essentially traded their head coach Jon Gruden following the 2001 season. The Raiders hired Callahan, the offensive coordinator under Gruden, to return them to the playoffs.

Despite their talent, the Raiders struggled in the first half of the season. A 4–0 start was followed by four consecutive losses; the team's 4–4 record stunned many onlookers. The team, however, redeemed itself by winning seven of its final eight contests. In the third quarter of Oakland's 26–20 win on Monday Night Football over the Jets, Tim Brown became the third player in NFL history with 1,000 career catches. Finishing 11–5 in a conference where twelve teams obtained .500 or better records and nine were above .500, the Raiders won the AFC West for the third consecutive season, a first-round bye, and home-field advantage throughout the AFC's playoffs as the top seed. They routed the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans in the playoffs, by a combined score of 71–34 and +4 in the turnover differential; in doing so, they advanced to their first Super Bowl since 1984. Their opponent was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led by their former coach Jon Gruden.

The Raiders entered Super Bowl XXXVII as slight favorites; many predicted a hard-fought showdown between Oakland's top-ranked offense and Tampa Bay's top-ranked defense. The resulting game, however, ended in disaster for the Raiders. An early three-point lead (courtesy of a Sebastian Janikowski field goal) evaporated as the Buccaneers scored 34 unanswered points. The Buccaneers' defense, aided by Gruden's knowledge of the Raider offense and Raiders' failure to change many of the terms for their offense, intercepted Rich Gannon three times during this scoring surge. Many times, Buccaneer safety John Lynch was able to determine what play was coming based on audibles called by Raider quarterback Rich Gannon. A furious Raider rally cut the score to an almost-competitive 21–34 in the fourth quarter. However, two more Gannon interceptions sealed the Raiders' fate in a 48–21 bludgeoning.

The years following the Super Bowl loss marked a period of decline and futility for the Raiders, earning neither a winning record nor a playoff trip until 2016. As of 2023, this represents the most recent AFC West title and postseason win for the Raiders.

The last remaining active member of the 2002 Oakland Raiders was kicker Sebastian Janikowski, who played his final NFL game in the 2018 season, although he missed the 2017 season.

Offseason

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Signings Departures
DT Sam Adams (Ravens) CB Eric Allen (retirement)
QB Rick Mirer (49ers) LB Greg Biekert (Vikings)
DT John Parrella (Chargers) QB Rodney Peete (Panthers)
LB Bill Romanowski (Broncos)
FS Rod Woodson (Ravens)

NFL Draft

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2002 Oakland Raiders draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 17 Phillip Buchanon  CB Miami from Atlanta
1 23 Napoleon Harris  LB Northwestern
2 53 Langston Walker  T California from Tampa Bay
2 55 Doug Jolley  TE BYU
5 147 Kenyon Coleman  DE UCLA
      Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Background

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The 2002 season, due mainly to the aforementioned Super Bowl run, ranks among the most important in franchise history. The aging Raiders' controversial elimination from the prior year's playoffs set the stage for a concerted championship push. Owner Al Davis traded then-head coach Jon Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers shortly after the Raiders' 2001 playoff loss; in doing so, he received two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and cash considerations from Tampa Bay. Davis, despite team salary cap troubles, also managed to acquire veteran stars Sam Adams, Rod Woodson, and Bill Romanowski during the 2002 offseason.

The Raiders entered the season with a hugely talented, albeit aging roster of players. The offense was led by quarterback Rich Gannon, who would be named MVP for the season. The team's receiving corps of Tim Brown, Jerry Rice, and Jerry Porter ranked among the league's best; additionally, running back Charlie Garner posted 1,903 all-purpose yards. The offensive line, moreover, was anchored by pro-bowlers Lincoln Kennedy and Barret Robbins. The Raiders' offense, all told, led the league in total yardage; Gannon additionally led all NFL quarterbacks in passing with 4,689 yards. The defense, while less vaunted, nonetheless ranked among the NFL's finest; the contributions of Rod Woodson, Bill Romanowski, Charles Woodson, and Trace Armstrong aided the Raiders' cause greatly.

Staff

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2002 Oakland Raiders staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Strength and conditioning coordinator – Garrett Giemont


Roster

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2002 Oakland Raiders roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams

Practice squad

Reserve

Rookies in italics
53 active, 7 reserve, 5 practice squad

Rookies in italics

Regular season

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Schedule

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Week Date Opponent Result Record Attendance
1 September 8, 2002 Seattle Seahawks W 31–17 1–0 53,260
2 September 15, 2002 at Pittsburgh Steelers W 30–17 2–0 62,260
3 Bye
4 September 29, 2002 Tennessee Titans W 52–25 3–0 58,719
5 October 6, 2002 at Buffalo Bills W 49–31 4–0 73,038
6 October 13, 2002 at St. Louis Rams L 13–28 4–1 66,070
7 October 20, 2002 San Diego Chargers L 21–27 (OT) 4–2 60,974
8 October 27, 2002 at Kansas City Chiefs L 10–20 4–3 78,685
9 November 3, 2002 San Francisco 49ers L 20–23 (OT) 4–4 62,660
10 November 11, 2002 at Denver Broncos W 34–10 5–4 76,643
11 November 17, 2002 New England Patriots W 27–20 6–4 62,552
12 November 24, 2002 at Arizona Cardinals W 41–20 7–4 58,814
13 December 2, 2002 New York Jets W 26–20 8–4 62,257
14 December 8, 2002 at San Diego Chargers W 27–7 9–4 67,968
15 December 15, 2002 at Miami Dolphins L 17–23 9–5 73,572
16 December 22, 2002 Denver Broncos W 28–16 10–5 62,592
17 December 28, 2002 Kansas City Chiefs W 24–0 11–5 62,078

Game summaries

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Week 1: vs. Seattle Seahawks

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Week 1: Seattle Seahawks at Oakland Raiders
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Seahawks 7 0 01017
Raiders 7 21 3031

at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California

Game information

Week 5: at Buffalo Bills

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Week 5: Oakland Raiders at Buffalo Bills
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Raiders 7 14 72149
Bills 0 21 10031

at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

Game information

Week 11: vs. New England Patriots

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Week 11: New England Patriots at Oakland Raiders
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Patriots 3 3 7720
Raiders 3 14 7327

at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California

Game information

Week 13: vs. New York Jets

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Week 13: New York Jets at Oakland Raiders
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Jets 0 10 01020
Raiders 3 3 14626

at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California

Game information

Week 15: at Miami Dolphins

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Week 15: Oakland Raiders at Miami Dolphins
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Raiders 3 3 3817
Dolphins 10 7 3323

at Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Game information

Standings

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Division

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AFC West
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(1) Oakland Raiders 11 5 0 .688 4–2 9–3 450 304 W2
Denver Broncos 9 7 0 .563 3–3 5–7 392 344 W1
San Diego Chargers 8 8 0 .500 3–3 6–6 333 367 L4
Kansas City Chiefs 8 8 0 .500 2–4 6–6 467 399 L1

Conference

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AFC
# Team Division W L T PCT DIV CONF SOS SOV
Division leaders
1[a] Oakland Raiders West 11 5 0 .688 4–2 9–3 .529 .531
2[a] Tennessee Titans South 11 5 0 .688 6–0 9–3 .479 .474
3 Pittsburgh Steelers North 10 5 1 .656 6–0 8–4 .486 .451
4[b] New York Jets East 9 7 0 .563 4–2 6–6 .500 .500
Wild Cards
5 Indianapolis Colts South 10 6 0 .625 4–2 8–4 .479 .400
6[c] Cleveland Browns North 9 7 0 .563 3–3 7–5 .486 .413
Did not qualify for the postseason
7[c][d] Denver Broncos West 9 7 0 .563 3–3 5–7 .527 .486
8[b][c][d][e] New England Patriots East 9 7 0 .563 4–2 6–6 .525 .455
9[b][e] Miami Dolphins East 9 7 0 .563 2–4 7–5 .508 .486
10[f] Buffalo Bills East 8 8 0 .500 2–4 5–7 .473 .352
11[f][g] San Diego Chargers West 8 8 0 .500 3–3 6–6 .492 .453
12[g] Kansas City Chiefs West 8 8 0 .500 2–4 6–6 .527 .516
13 Baltimore Ravens North 7 9 0 .438 3–3 7–5 .506 .384
14 Jacksonville Jaguars South 6 10 0 .375 1–5 4–8 .506 .438
15 Houston Texans South 4 12 0 .250 1–5 2–10 .518 .492
16 Cincinnati Bengals North 2 14 0 .125 0–6 1–11 .537 .406
Tiebreakers[h]
  1. ^ a b Oakland finished ahead of Tennessee based on head-to-head victory.
  2. ^ a b c N.Y. Jets finished ahead of New England based on win percentage in common games (8–4 to 7–5) and Miami based on division record (4–2 to 2–4).
  3. ^ a b c Cleveland finished ahead of Denver and New England based on conference record (7–5 vs 5–7/6–6)
  4. ^ a b Denver finished ahead of New England based on head-to-head victory.
  5. ^ a b New England finished ahead of Miami based on division record (4–2 to 2–4).
  6. ^ a b Buffalo finished ahead of San Diego based on head-to-head victory.
  7. ^ a b San Diego finished ahead of Kansas City based on division record (3–3 to 2–4).
  8. ^ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.

Playoffs

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AFC Divisional Playoff Game: vs. New York Jets

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AFC Divisional Playoffs: (#4) New York Jets at (#1) Oakland Raiders
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Jets 3 7 0010
Raiders 3 7 71330

at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California

  • Date: January 12, 2003
  • Game time: 4:30 pm
  • Game weather: Overcast, 61 °F (16 °C)
  • Game attendance: 62,207
  • Referee: Dick Hantak (105)
  • TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Phil Simms and Armen Keteyian
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

AFC Championship Game

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AFC Championship Game: (#2) Tennessee Titans at (#1) Oakland Raiders
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Titans 7 10 7024
Raiders 14 10 31441

at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California

  • Game time: 6:30 p.m. EST/3:30 p.m. PST
  • Game weather: Clear, 52 °F (11 °C)
  • Game attendance: 62,544
  • Referee: Ed Hochuli
  • TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Phil Simms, Armen Keteyian, and Bonnie Bernstein

The Raiders defeated the Titans and advanced to their first Super Bowl since Super Bowl XVIII, when they were based in Los Angeles. As of 2025, this was the last time Raiders won a playoff game as they would not return to the playoffs again until 2016 and would be the last playoff game to be held at the Oakland Coliseum. The Raiders were approved to relocate to Las Vegas and played their inaugural Las Vegas season in 2020.

Heavy Metal band Metallica performed an unannounced pregame concert prior to kickoff and the game's national Anthem was performed by Joe Satriani.

Until the 2019–20 NFL playoffs, this was the last AFC championship game which did not include the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots or Pittsburgh Steelers.

Super Bowl XXXVII

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Super Bowl XXXVII: (A1) Oakland Raiders at (N2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Raiders (AFC) 3 0 61221
Buccaneers (NFC) 3 17 141448

at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

  • Date: January 26, 2003
  • Game time: 3:26 p.m. PST
  • Game weather: Sunny, 81 °F (27 °C)
  • Referee: Bill Carollo
  • Recap
Game information
First quarter
  • OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 40-yard field goal, 10:40. Raiders 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 14 yards, 2:55.
  • TB – Martín Gramática 31-yard field goal, 7:51. Tied 3–3. Drive: 9 plays, 58 yards, 2:49.

Second quarter

  • TB – Martín Gramática 43-yard field goal, 11:16. Buccaneers 6–3. Drive: 9 plays, 26 yards, 3:53.
  • TB – Mike Alstott 2-yard run (Martín Gramática kick), 6:24. Buccaneers 13–3. Drive: 4 plays, 27 yards, 2:02.
  • TB – Keenan McCardell 5-yard pass from Brad Johnson (Martín Gramática kick), 0:30. Buccaneers 20–3. Drive: 10 plays, 77 yards, 3:15.

Third quarter

  • TB – Keenan McCardell 8-yard pass from Brad Johnson (Martín Gramática kick), 5:30. Buccaneers 27–3. Drive: 14 plays, 89 yards, 7:52.
  • TB – Dwight Smith 44-yard interception return (Martín Gramática kick), 4:47. Buccaneers 34–3.
  • OAK – Jerry Porter 39-yard pass from Rich Gannon (pass failed), 2:14. Buccaneers 34–9. Drive: 8 plays, 82 yards, 2:33.

Fourth quarter

  • OAK – Eric Johnson 13-yard return of blocked punt (pass failed), 14:16. Buccaneers 34–15.
  • OAK – Jerry Rice 48-yard pass from Rich Gannon (pass failed), 6:06. Buccaneers 34–21. Drive: 8 plays, 78 yards, 2:56.
  • TB – Derrick Brooks 44-yard interception return (Martín Gramática kick), 1:18. Buccaneers 41–21.
  • TB – Dwight Smith 50-yard interception return (Martín Gramática kick), 0:02. Buccaneers 48–21.

Awards and honors

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References

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  1. ^ "Bert Bell Award past recipients". Archived from the original on June 19, 2009. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
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