Owner The Rooney Family Division place 1st in AFC North Start date 2002 Home field Heinz Field Team MVPs Joey Porter, Hines Ward | Record 10–5–1 Head coach Bill Cowher General manager Kevin Colbert Team roy Kendall Simmons | |
Playoff finish Won Wild Card Playoffs (Browns) 36–33
Lost Divisional Playoffs (Titans) 34–31 Pro Bowlers 4
G Alan Faneca
OLB Jason Gildon
WR Hines Ward
OLB Joey Porter AP All-Pros 3
Alan Faneca (1st team)
Joey Porter (1st team)
Hines Ward (2nd team) Similar 2003 Pittsburgh Steelers s, 1992 Pittsburgh Steelers s, 1982 Pittsburgh Steelers s | ||
The 2002 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 70th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League.
Contents
- Staff
- Week 1 Monday September 9 2002 at New England Patriots
- Week 2 Sunday September 15 2002 vs Oakland Raiders
- Week 4 Sunday September 29 2002 vs Cleveland Browns
- Week 5 Sunday October 6 2002 at New Orleans Saints
- Week 6 Sunday October 13 2002 at Cincinnati Bengals
- Week 7 Monday October 21 2002 vs Indianapolis Colts
- Week 8 Sunday October 27 2002 at Baltimore Ravens
- Week 9 Sunday November 3 2002 at Cleveland Browns
- Week 10 Sunday November 10 2002 vs Atlanta Falcons
- Week 11 Sunday November 17 2002 at Tennessee Titans
- Week 12 Sunday November 24 2002 vs Cincinnati Bengals
- Week 13 Sunday December 1 2002 at Jacksonville Jaguars
- Week 14 Sunday December 8 2002 vs Houston Texans
- Week 15 Sunday December 15 2002 vs Carolina Panthers
- Week 16 Monday December 23 2002 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Week 17 Sunday December 29 2002 vs Baltimore Ravens
- AFC Wild Card Playoff Sunday January 5 2003 vs Cleveland Browns
- AFC Divisional Playoff Saturday January 11 2003 at Tennessee Titans
- Pro Bowl representatives
- References
This season had the steelers coming off a 13–3 record and making an appearance in the AFC Championship Game. The team has failed to improve their 13-3 record from 2001 and finishing to a 10–5–1 record, although this record was good enough for a division championship. With their finish the Steelers became the first champions of the newly created AFC North. Bill Cowher's team won the Wild Card Game, defeating the Cleveland Browns at home, but lost to AFC South champion Tennessee in the divisional round.
Week 4 saw Kordell Stewart's final game as the Steelers' starting quarterback, as he was replaced by Tommy Maddox during the game and did not start again as he was released following the season.
Staff
Notable additions include James Harrison, Brett Keisel, Larry Foote and Antwaan Randle El.
Week 1 (Monday September 9, 2002): at New England Patriots
at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
With the loss, the Steelers began their season 0–1.
Week 2 (Sunday September 15, 2002): vs. Oakland Raiders
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
With the loss, the Steelers went 0-2 heading into their bye week.
Week 4 (Sunday September 29, 2002): vs. Cleveland Browns
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Kordell Stewart began the game, going 15–25 for 143 yards, but was intercepted by Robert Griffith of the Browns. At this point his Pittsburgh career all but ended when he was benched and replaced by backup Tommy Maddox, who hadn't thrown a pass in the NFL since 1995 with the Giants but had resurrected his career with stints with the New Jersey Red Dogs in the Arena Football League and a championship season in the ill-fated XFL. With the Steelers down 13–6, Maddox found Plaxico Burress for the tying touchdown just before the two-minute warning. The game went to overtime, but Maddox was picked off on his first throw of the extra quarter. The Browns, however, gagged when Phil Dawson missed a 45-yard field goal try. With new life the Steelers led by Maddox marched in range for Todd Peterson's 31-yarder and the 16–13 final.
Week 5 (Sunday October 6, 2002): at New Orleans Saints
at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
Tommy Maddox made his first start replacing an ineffective Kordell Stewart
Week 6 (Sunday October 13, 2002): at Cincinnati Bengals
at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati
Week 7 (Monday October 21, 2002): vs. Indianapolis Colts
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Week 8 (Sunday October 27, 2002): at Baltimore Ravens
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Week 9 (Sunday November 3, 2002): at Cleveland Browns
at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
Week 10 (Sunday November 10, 2002): vs. Atlanta Falcons
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
In the first NFL tie since 1997, Tommy Maddox erupted with 473 passing yards (a club record that stood until Ben Roethlisberger broke it in 2009) and connected on four touchdown throws in his first matchup against the coach who drafted him in Denver, Dan Reeves. Reeves' Falcons, however, were surging behind the running of sophomore quarterback Michael Vick. A 34–17 Steelers lead in the fourth could not be held as Warrick Dunn and Vick rushed the Falcons in range for a one-yard Bob Christian rushing touchdown, a Jay Feely field goal, and finally the tying Vick rushing score with 32 seconds remaining in regulation. In overtime the Steelers drove to range of a 48-yard field goal try by Todd Peterson, this after he'd missed a 40-yarder in regulation. The Falcons' Brian Finneran had caught six passes for 72 yards, but in his career debut on special teams he pulled off the play of the game by blocking the kick. Late in the extra quarter Maddox was picked off by Kevin Mathis, but the subsequent 56-yad Feely try was blocked, with one second left on the clock. Maddox launched a desperation heave and Burress caught it, but was ruled down at the one-foot line with the game declared over.
Week 11 (Sunday November 17, 2002): at Tennessee Titans
at Adelphia Coliseum, Nashville, Tennessee
Maddox's career nearly ended in tragedy as he threw a pass that Hines Ward turned into a 72-yard touchdown, but after completing just 14 of 28 throws for 194 yards and three picks he was sacked; the hit left him briefly paralyzed and he was taken to the hospital on a stretcher. He recovered from the hit but Kordell Stewart had to come off the bench for what turned out to be his final three games with the Steelers. He completed 13 of 17 throws for two touchdowns and the Steelers also completed two two-point tries. It wasn't enough as the Titans behind 257 passing yards (with two touchdowns) by Steve McNair and 121 rushing yards (McNair and Eddie George accounted for 103 of them) won 31–23.
Week 12 (Sunday November 24, 2002): vs. Cincinnati Bengals
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Week 13 (Sunday December 1, 2002): at Jacksonville Jaguars
at Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida
Kordell Stewart made his last start as a Steelers quarterback,running for a touchdown . Jeff reed kicked six field goals . Maddox regained his starting position the following week despite Stewart performing well
Week 14 (Sunday December 8, 2002): vs. Houston Texans
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Week 15 (Sunday December 15, 2002): vs. Carolina Panthers
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Week 16 (Monday December 23, 2002): at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Week 17 (Sunday December 29, 2002): vs. Baltimore Ravens
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
AFC Wild Card Playoff (Sunday, January 5, 2003): vs. Cleveland Browns
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
AFC Divisional Playoff (Saturday, January 11, 2003): at Tennessee Titans
at Adelphia Coliseum, Nashville, Tennessee
Pro Bowl representatives
See: 2003 Pro Bowl