The 2002 season was the Kansas City Chiefs' 33rd in the National Football League (NFL), their 43rd overall and the franchise's 40th in Kansas City, Missouri.
In their second season under head coach Dick Vermeil, the Chiefs's high-powered offense was led by quarterback Trent Green and 2002 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Priest Holmes, who was named to the NFL All-Pro team for the second of three years in a row. Green had a 2-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (26 to 13) and Holmes led the league in touchdowns (24) and overall scoring (144 points).
Kansas City scored 467 points (29.2 per game), but gave up 399 points (24.9 per game), the second most in the AFC and fifth-most in the NFL. Football Outsiders stated that the 2002 Chiefs have the second-largest Offense-Defense imbalance from 1992 to 2010 (the largest discrepancy coming from the 1992 Seattle Seahawks). Football Outsiders also calculated that the Chiefs had the second most efficient running game in the same period (second only to the 2000 St. Louis Rams).
The Chiefs' offense also set two new NFL records with the fewest fumbles in a season (7, broken in 2010) and fewest fumbles lost in a season (2), the latter of which still stands. Additionally, Trent Green and Marc Boerigter in the Chiefs week 16 game against the Chargers, tied the record for longest pass play in NFL history, becoming the ninth occurrence of a 99-yard pass play.
Offseason Additions SubtractionsQB Jonathan Quinn (Jaguars) LB Donnie Edwards (Chargers)K Morten Andersen (Giants) K Todd Peterson (Steelers)WR Johnnie Morton (Lions) TE Mikhael Ricks (Lions)T Willie Roaf (Saints) CB Bracy Walker (Lions) T Victor Riley (Saints) WR Derrick Alexander (Vikings)
Draft
Undrafted free agents
+ 2002 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeJason BaggettTackleLSUDwayne BlakleyTight endMissouriTramaine Bingham Defensive EndOuachita BaptistMarc BoerigterWide ReceiverHastingsAaron Crittendon TackleMissouriClint FinleySafetyNebraskaChad HayesTight endMaineGary Hobbs TackleArkansasJarmar JulienRunning backSan Jose StateMichael LandryDefensive EndSouthernBrandon LudwigGuard/CenterCaliforniaShawn LynchCenterDukeTony NewsonLinebackerUtah StatePete RebstockWide receiverColorado StateHarold RobertsonLinebackerTexas A&MKirk RogersWide receiverHardin–SimmonsAdam WulfeckPunterCincinnati
Personnel
Staff / Coaches
Roster
Preseason Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 at San Francisco 49ers W 17–14 1–0 3Com Park Recap 2 Houston Texans W 19–9 2–0 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 3 at Seattle Seahawks L 14–17 2–1 Seahawks Stadium Recap 4 St. Louis Rams W 23–16 3–1 Arrowhead Stadium Recap
Game summaries Week 1: at San Francisco 49ers
Week 2: vs. Houston Texans
Week 3: at Seattle Seahawks
Week 4: vs. St. Louis Rams
Regular season In the 2002 season, the Chiefs' non-divisional, conference opponents were primarily from the AFC East. The Cleveland Browns were from the AFC North and the Jacksonville Jaguars were from the AFC South. Their non-conference opponents were from the NFC West.
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 8 at Cleveland Browns W 40–39 1–0 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 2 September 15 Jacksonville Jaguars L 16–23 1–1 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 3 September 22 at New England Patriots L 38–41 1–2 Gillette Stadium Recap 4 September 29 Miami Dolphins W 48–30 2–2 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 5 October 6 at New York Jets W 29–25 3–2 Giants Stadium Recap 6 October 13 at San Diego Chargers L 34–35 3–3 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 7 October 20 Denver Broncos L 34–37 3–4 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 8 October 27 Oakland Raiders W 20–10 4–4 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 9Bye 10 November 10 at San Francisco 49ers L 13–17 4–5 3Com Park Recap 11 November 17 Buffalo Bills W 17–16 5–5 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 12 November 24 at Seattle Seahawks L 32–39 5–6 Seahawks Stadium Recap 13 December 1 Arizona Cardinals W 49–0 6–6 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 14 December 8 St. Louis Rams W 49–10 7–6 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 15 December 15 at Denver Broncos L 24–31 7–7 Invesco Field at Mile High Recap 16 December 22 San Diego Chargers W 24–22 8–7 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 17 at Oakland Raiders L 0–24 8–8 Network Associates Coliseum Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: at Cleveland Browns
Week 2: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 3: at New England Patriots
Week 4: vs. Miami Dolphins
Week 5: at New York Jets
Week 6: at San Diego Chargers
Week 7: vs. Denver Broncos
Week 8: vs. Oakland Raiders
Week 10: at San Francisco 49ers
Week 11: vs. Buffalo Bills
Week 12: at Seattle Seahawks
Week 13: vs. Arizona Cardinals
Week 14: vs. St. Louis Rams
Week 15: at Denver Broncos
Week 16: vs. San Diego Chargers
Week 17: at Oakland Raiders
Standings
Conference
References