2002–03 Montreal Canadiens season, Roster
Sylvain Blouin27 - Mariusz Czerkawski32 - Gordie Dwyer37 - Niklas Sundstrom38 - Jan Bulis71 - Mike Ribeiro81 - Marcel Hossa82 - Donald Audette90 - Joe Juneau93 - Doug Gilmour94 - Yanic PerreaultDefencemen:5 - Stephane Quintal8 - Mike Komisarek28 - Karl Dykhuis36 - Francois Beauchemin43 - Patrice Brisebois44 - Sheldon Souray51 - Francis Bouillon52 - Craig Rivet54 - Patrick Traverse65 - Ron Hainsey79 - Andrei MarkovGoaltenders:30 - Mathieu Garon31 - Jeff Hackett41 - Eric Fichaud60 - Jose Theodore


2002–03 Montreal Canadiens season, Draft picks
Montreal's draft picks at the 2002 NHL Entry Draft held at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario.


2002–03 Montserrat Championship
The 2002–03 season of the Montserrat Championship was the sixth recorded season of top flight association football competition in Montserrat, with records for any competition held between 1975 and 1995 not available, and the third iteration of the championship since the 1996–97 season was abandoned when the Soufrière Hills erupted causing widespread devastation to the island. For this season the format was changed to a single round robin series of matches from the home and away format utilised in previous seasons. The championship was won by the Police, following a 1–1 draw against Ideal in what was essentially a title decider in the final round of matches. This was their fifth title out of the six completed seasons to date.


2002–03 Motherwell F.C. season
The 2002–03 season was Motherwell's 5th season in the Scottish Premier League, and their 18th consecutive season in the top division of Scottish football. They finished the season in bottom of the league, but were spared relegation as Falkirk, the champions of the 2002–03 Scottish First Division, ground did not meet SPL stadium criteria. They also competed in the Scottish Cup, reaching the Semi-Finals before being defeated by Rangers, and the League Cup, losing to Aberdeen.


2002–03 Munster Rugby season
The 2002–03 Munster Rugby season was Munster's second season competing in the Celtic League, alongside which they also competed in the Heineken Cup. It was Declan Kidney's fifth and final season in his first spell as head coach of the province.


2002–03 Munster Rugby season, 2002–03 squad
Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.


2002–03 Munster Rugby season, 2002–03 Celtic League, Pool A Table
Under the standard bonus point system, points are awarded as follows:


2002–03 Málaga CF season
During the 2002–03 Spanish football season, Málaga competed in La Liga.


2002–03 Málaga CF season, Season summary
Málaga slipped to 13th in the final table, but won the Intertoto Cup and reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup. Manager Joaquín Peiró left at the end of the season.


2002–03 Málaga CF season, First-team squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2002–03 Málaga CF season, First-team squad, Left club during season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2002–03 NBA season
The 2002–03 NBA season was the 57th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The season ended with the San Antonio Spurs beating the New Jersey Nets 4–2 in the 2003 NBA Finals. This would be Michael Jordan's last season in the NBA. This season would also mark the first finals since the 1998–99 NBA season that the Lakers did not appear in, and the Spurs' first finals appearance since then.


2002–03 NBA season, Playoffs
Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its conference, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions are marked by an asterisk. Home-court advantage does not necessarily belong to the higher-seeded team, but instead the team with the better regular-season record; teams enjoying the home advantage are shown in italics.


2002–03 NBA season, Awards, Players of the month
The following players were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month.


2002–03 NBA season, Awards, Rookies of the month
The following players were named the Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month.


2002–03 NBA season, Awards, Coaches of the month
The following coaches were named the Eastern and Western Conference Coaches of the Month.


2002–03 NBL season
The 2002–03 NBL season was the 25th season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of 11 teams contested the league.


2002–03 NBL season, Regular Season
The 2002–03 Regular Season took place over 22 Rounds between 2 October 2002 and 1 March 2003.


2002–03 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings
The 2002–03 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings was made up of two human polls, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various other preseason polls.


2002–03 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2002–03 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2002, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 7, 2003 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Syracuse Orange and coach Jim Boeheim won their first NCAA national championship with an 81–78 victory over the Kansas Jayhawks.


2002–03 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, Season outlook, Pre-season polls
The top 25 from the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Polls November 13, 2002.


2002–03 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, Coaching changes
A number of teams changed coaches throughout the season and after the season ended.


2002–03 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey rankings
Two human polls made up the 2002–03 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey rankings, the USCHO.com Division I Men's Poll and the USA TODAY/American Hockey Magazine Poll. As the 2002–03 season progressed, rankings were updated weekly. There were a total of 17 voters in the USA Today poll and 40 voters in the USCHO.com poll. Each first place vote in either poll is worth 15 points in the rankings with every subsequent vote worth 1 fewer point.


2002–03 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season
The 2002–03 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season began on October 4, 2002, and concluded with the 2003 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament's championship game on April 12, 2003, at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo, New York. This was the 56th season in which an NCAA ice hockey championship was held and is the 108th year overall where an NCAA school fielded a team. The 2002–03 season was the final year for the MAAC hockey conference when Iona and Fairfield ended their programs at the conclusion of the season.


2002–03 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season
The NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament expanded to 16 teams for the first time in 2003. As a result, two regional sites were added for the new Northeast and Midwest brackets.


2002–03 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season, Pre-season polls
The top 15 from USCHO.com/CBS College Sports and the top 15 from USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine.


2002–03 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season, Player stats, Scoring leaders
The following players led the league in points at the conclusion of the season.


2002–03 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season, Player stats, Scoring leaders
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes


2002–03 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season, Player stats, Leading goaltenders
The following goaltenders led the league in goals against average at the end of the regular season while playing at least 33% of their team's total minutes.


2002–03 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season, Player stats, Leading goaltenders
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average


2002–03 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings
Two human polls comprise the 2002–03 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The AP poll is currently a poll of sportswriters, while the USA Today Coaches' Poll is a poll of college coaches. The AP conducts polls weekly through the end of the regular season and conference play, while the Coaches poll conducts a final, post-NCAA tournament poll as well.


2002–03 NCAA Division III men's ice hockey season
The 2002–03 NCAA Division III men's ice hockey season began on October 18, 2002 and concluded on March 22 of the following year. This was the 30th season of Division III college ice hockey.


2002–03 NCAA Division III men's ice hockey season
The NCAA changed the national tournament format to have all rounds be Single elimination. As a result, the mini-game was eliminated from the Championship.


2002–03 NCAA football bowl games
The 2002–03 NCAA football bowl games were a series of 28 post-season games (including the Bowl Championship Series) played in December 2002 and January 2003 for Division I-A football teams and their all-stars. The post-season began with the New Orleans Bowl on December 17, 2002, and concluded on February 1, 2003, with the season-ending Hula Bowl.


2002–03 NCAA football bowl games
A new record of 28 team-competitive bowls, and two all-star games, were played, including the inaugural Continental Tire Bowl, Hawaii Bowl and San Francisco Bowl. To fill the 56 available team-competitive bowl slots, a total of three teams with non-winning seasons participated in bowl games—all three had a .500 (6–6) season.


2002–03 NCAA football bowl games, Poll rankings
The below table lists top teams (per polls taken after the completion of the regular season and any conference championship games), their win-loss records (prior to bowl games), and the bowls they later played in. The AP column represents rankings per the AP Poll, while the BCS column represents the Bowl Championship Series rankings.


2002–03 NCAA football bowl games, Poll rankings
denotes a BCS bowl game ineligible for bowl play due to NCAA sanctions


2002–03 NFL playoffs
The National Football League (NFL) playoffs for the 2002 season began on January 4, 2003. The postseason tournament concluded with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeating the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII, 48–21, on January 26, at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California.


2002–03 NFL playoffs
Prior to the 2002–03 season, the league realigned its teams into eight divisions (four in each conference). Thus, the 12-team playoff format was modified. The league abided by this updated system until 2020:


2002–03 NFL playoffs
As a result, a wild card team could no longer host a playoff game during the opening Wild Card round. Prior to the 2002–03 playoffs, a team could finish second in its division and host a playoff game by claiming the number 4 seed as a wild card team. The new rules meant that the number 4 seed would be awarded to a division champion and not a wild card team (non-division champion). Under the new system, a wild card team could host a playoff game only if the number 5 and number 6 seeds in one conference advance to a Conference Championship Game, in which case a number 5 seed would host the game (which, under this format, never happened).


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Participants
Within each conference, the four division winners and the two wild card teams (the top two non-division winners with the best overall regular season records) qualified for the playoffs. The four division winners are seeded 1 through 4 based on their overall won-lost-tied record, and the wild card teams are seeded 5 and 6. The NFL does not use a fixed bracket playoff system, and there are no restrictions regarding teams from the same division matching up in any round.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Participants
In the first round, dubbed the wild-card playoffs or wild-card weekend, the third-seeded division winner hosts the sixth seed wild card, and the fourth seed hosts the fifth. The 1 and 2 seeds from each conference then receive a bye in the first round. In the second round, the divisional playoffs, the number 1 seed hosts the worst surviving seed from the first round (seed 4, 5, or 6), while the number 2 seed will play the other team (seed 3, 4, or 5).


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Participants
The two surviving teams from each conference's divisional playoff games then meet in the respective AFC and NFC Conference Championship games, hosted by the higher seed. Although the Super Bowl, the fourth and final round of the playoffs, is played at a neutral site, the designated home team is based on an annual rotation by conference.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Schedule
During the 2001–02 NFL playoffs, the NFL experimented with playing Saturday prime time playoff games. The league was pleased with the results, and decided to revise its entire playoff schedule, beginning with the 2002 season. Wild Card and Divisional Saturday games continued to be played at 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. EST, as they had in the previous season. Sunday wild card and divisional playoff games were moved from 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. EST to 1:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., respectively.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Schedule
The start times for the Conference Championship Games were also changed, from 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. EST to 3:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. respectively. The conferences would then begin to annually alternate between the early and late games, with the first game during this 2002–03 season being the NFC title game and the second the AFC title game. Since then, the NFC title game is first in even-numbered seasons (2002, 2004, etc.) and the AFC title game first in odd-numbered seasons (2003, 2005, etc.). This continued an unofficial rotation that began with the Conference Championships in the 1996 NFL Playoffs.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Schedule
This change would also avoid the future possibility of having to reschedule a 9:30 a.m. PST/10:30 a.m. MST Conference Championship Game if both contests took place in those time zones. Conference Championship Games in those time zones now start no earlier than 12:00 p.m. local time. When Denver and San Francisco hosted the AFC and NFC Championship Games in 1990, the league moved both contests back an hour, but it also forced the networks to reluctantly change or move their prime time lineups. Holding the games on separate days like in 1982–83 was rejected due to the short notice. And for the third time in recent few years, there was no bye week before Super Bowl.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Schedule
In the United States, ABC broadcast the first two Wild Card playoff games and Super Bowl XXXVII. CBS telecast the rest of the AFC playoff games and Fox the rest of the NFC games.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 4, 2003, AFC: New York Jets 41, Indianapolis Colts 0
In his playoff debut, Jets quarterback Chad Pennington completed 19 of 25 passes for 222 yards and three touchdowns as he led the Jets to a shutout victory over the Colts. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning completed only 14 of 31 passes for 137 yards and two interceptions. New York gained 396 yards and didn't commit any turnovers, while Indianapolis gained only 176 yards and turned the ball over three times.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 4, 2003, AFC: New York Jets 41, Indianapolis Colts 0
On New York's fifth play of the game, fullback Richie Anderson caught a screen pass from Pennington and took off down the left sideline for a 56-yard touchdown, the longest play in Jets postseason history. Indianapolis responded by driving deep into Jets territory, with Manning completing three passes to Marvin Harrison for 38 yards, but the drive stalled and Mike Vanderjagt missed a 41-yard field goal attempt.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 4, 2003, AFC: New York Jets 41, Indianapolis Colts 0
After the missed field goal, Pennington completed a 13-yard pass to Santana Moss and a 23-yard pass to Wayne Chrebet, setting up John Hall's 41-yard field goal. Then Ray Mickens recovered a fumble from Troy Walters that had been forced by Khary Campbell on the ensuing kickoff, giving New York the ball on the Colts 39-yard line. Six plays later, LaMont Jordan scored on a 1-yard touchdown run that gave the Jets a 17–0 lead.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 4, 2003, AFC: New York Jets 41, Indianapolis Colts 0
Later in the quarter, the Jets got the ball with great field position by receiving Hunter Smith's 32-yard punt on the Colts 42-yard line, and they ended up increasing their lead to 24–0 with Pennington's 4-yard touchdown pass to Moss, who made a leaping catch in the back of the end zone with 37 seconds left in the half.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 4, 2003, AFC: New York Jets 41, Indianapolis Colts 0
Early in the third quarter, Hall kicked another field goal on the end of a drive that was set up by a 70-yard kickoff return from receiver Chad Morton. Later on, Pennington completed 5/6 passes for 59 yards on a 74-yard drive, the last one a 3-yard touchdown toss to rookie tight end Chris Baker. Then on Indy's ensuing drive, Damien Robinson intercepted a pass from Manning and returned it 24 yards to the Jets 36-yard line.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 4, 2003, AFC: New York Jets 41, Indianapolis Colts 0
New York then drove 64 yards in 13 plays, 11 of them runs by Jordan for 59 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown run to make the final score of the game 41–0. Jets linebacker James Darling then put the finishing touches on the win by intercepting Manning's final pass of the game.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 4, 2003, AFC: New York Jets 41, Indianapolis Colts 0
This was the Jets final playoff home game at Giants Stadium as well as the final playoff win for both the Giants and the Jets at the stadium. This was also the last playoff win until 2020 for an AFC East division champion that was not by the Patriots. Jordan finished the game with 20 carries for 102 yards, a reception for nine yards, and two touchdowns.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 4, 2003, AFC: New York Jets 41, Indianapolis Colts 0
This was the second postseason meeting between the Colts and Jets. New York won the previous meeting when the Colts were in Baltimore.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 4, 2003, NFC: Atlanta Falcons 27, Green Bay Packers 7
The Packers suffered their first home playoff loss in franchise history as the Falcons forced five turnovers and limited Green Bay to only one touchdown. 22-year-old quarterback Michael Vick passed for 117 yards and rushed for 64 yards. The Packers, playing without Pro Bowl defensive back Darren Sharper and their top receiver Terry Glenn due to injuries, fell down 24–0 in the first half and could not recover. Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre threw two interceptions and lost a fumble, while Ryan Longwell missed two field goals.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 4, 2003, NFC: Atlanta Falcons 27, Green Bay Packers 7
The Falcons stormed out to a 7–0 lead by driving 76 yards on the opening drive, including an 18-yard reception and 12-yard run by running back Warrick Dunn, scoring with Vick's 10-yard touchdown pass to Shawn Jefferson. Then defensive back Keion Carpenter gave Atlanta another chance to score by intercepting a pass from Favre and returning it two yards to the Packers 38.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 4, 2003, NFC: Atlanta Falcons 27, Green Bay Packers 7
Green Bay's defense bailed the team out preventing the Falcons from gaining any yards over the next three plays, but at the end of the Packers next drive, Atlanta linebacker Mark Simoneau blocked Josh Bidwell's punt and Artie Ulmer recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown to increase their lead to 14–0. The Packers responded with a drive to the Atlanta 20-yard line. But after Brady Smith sacked Favre for a 9-yard loss, Longwell missed a 47-yard field goal attempt.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 4, 2003, NFC: Atlanta Falcons 27, Green Bay Packers 7
Early in the second quarter, defensive back Tyrone Williams, a blocker on Green Bay's punt return team ran into returner Eric Metcalf. As a result, Metcalf muffed the kick and Atlanta fullback George Layne recovered the ball on Green Bay's 21-yard line. Packers coach Mike Sherman did not challenge the call, a mistake considering replays showed the punted ball bouncing off a Falcons player's left shoulder. Sherman said he spoke with an official on the field, "but he [mistakenly] led me to believe it would not be reviewable."


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 4, 2003, NFC: Atlanta Falcons 27, Green Bay Packers 7
Four plays after the turnover, T. J. Duckett's 6-yard touchdown run increased Atlanta's lead to 21–0. Green Bay responded by driving to a first and goal situation on the Atlanta 1-yard line, but over the next three plays, Favre threw two incomplete passes and Ahman Green was tackled by Smith and defensive end Johndale Carty for a 1-yard loss. On fourth down and 2, Green was dropped for a 4-yard loss by nose tackle Ellis Johnson. Then Vick led the Falcons 90 yards in 16 plays, one of them a 21-yard run by Dunn, to go up 24–0 on Jay Feely's 22-yard field goal on the last play of the half.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 4, 2003, NFC: Atlanta Falcons 27, Green Bay Packers 7
Green Bay regrouped on the opening drive of the second half, moving the ball 73 yards in 10 plays, the longest a 25-yard completion from Favre to receiver Donald Driver. Favre finished the drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Driver, but the receiver was knocked out of the game on the play, and Atlanta responded with a 73-yard scoring drive of their own. The key play of the drive was a 22-yard scramble by Vick, while Feely finished it off with a 23-yard field goal that gave the Falcons a 27–7 lead. There was still 3:46 left in the third quarter, but this would be the game's final score. Green Bay responded with a drive to the Atlanta 26-yard line, only to have Longwell miss a 44-yard field goal attempt.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 4, 2003, NFC: Atlanta Falcons 27, Green Bay Packers 7
The fourth quarter played out like comedy, as Feely missed two field goal attempts while Green Bay turned the ball over three times: once on downs, the second time when Patrick Kerney recovered a fumble from Favre, and the third when Favre threw his second interception of the game to Carpenter. This would be the Falcons final road playoff victory until 2017.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Saturday, January 4, 2003, NFC: Atlanta Falcons 27, Green Bay Packers 7
This was the second postseason meeting between the Falcons and Packers. Green Bay won the only prior meeting.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 36, Cleveland Browns 33
An amazing performance from Browns quarterback Kelly Holcomb,  was overshadowed by journeyman quarterback Tommy Maddox, who led the Steelers to 29 second half points to overcome a 17-point deficit. A 3-yard touchdown run by Chris Fuamatu-Maʻafala with 54 seconds left capped the game-winning 58-yard drive.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 36, Cleveland Browns 33
On the third play of the game, Holcomb completed an 83-yard pass to Kevin Johnson at the Steelers 1-yard line, setting up William Green's 1-yard touchdown run and giving the Browns a 7–0 lead after just 1:16 had elapsed in the game. Most of the rest of the quarter would be taken up by drives that ended in punts, but the Steelers got a big scoring opportunity when Amos Zereoué's 36-yard run gave them a first down on the Cleveland 23-yard line. This would only amount to nothing though, as Maddox was intercepted by Browns defensive back Daylon McCutcheon on the next play.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 36, Cleveland Browns 33
One play into the second quarter, Steelers receiver Antwaan Randle El fumbled a Browns punt, and Chris Akins recovered the ball for Cleveland on the Steelers 32-yard line. On the next play, Cleveland took a 14–0 lead with Holcomb's 32-yard touchdown pass to Dennis Northcutt. The Browns seemed to be taking control of the game now, particularly when another Steelers drive into field goal range was again snuffed out by a McCutheon interception (the Steelers' third turnover in less than six minutes).


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 36, Cleveland Browns 33
But suddenly Randle El brought the team right back into the game by returning a punt 66 yards for a touchdown, making the score 14–7. Cleveland stormed right back, as Holcomb's 29-yard pass to Johnson and two completions to running back Jamel White for 22 total yards earned the team a Phil Dawson field goal that made the score 17-7 going into halftime.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 36, Cleveland Browns 33
Early in the third quarter, Northcutt returned Tom Rouen's 37-yard punt 59 yards to the Pittsburgh 14-yard line, setting up Holcomb's 15-yard touchdown pass to Northcutt that increased the Browns lead to 24–7. Then after a punt, Cleveland drove to the Steelers 32-yard line. They were now in position to build a near-insurmountable lead, but defensive back Mike Logan made a clutch interception to keep the team's victory hopes alive.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 36, Cleveland Browns 33
Maddox then completed 7/8 passes for 62 yards, one of them a 24-yard completion to Randle El, and rushed for eight as he led the team 71 yards to score on his 6-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress, cutting the deficit to 24–14 with four minutes left in the third quarter. Cleveland responded by driving 64 yards in eight plays, featuring a 43-yard completion from Holcomb to receiver André Davis, to score on Dawson's 24-yard field goal on the second play of the final quarter, increasing their lead to 27–14.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 36, Cleveland Browns 33
On Pittsburgh's ensuing drive, Maddox completed three passes to Randle-El for gains of 20, 30, and six yards before finding tight end Jerame Tuman with a 3-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter. But the Browns stormed back, with Green's 23-yard run sparking a 61-yard drive that ended on Holcomb's 22-yard touchdown pass to Davis, giving them a 33–21 lead after the 2-point conversion failed.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 36, Cleveland Browns 33
With 3:06 left in the game, Maddox finished off a 77-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward, cutting the score to 33–28. The Browns tried to run out the clock on their ensuing possession, but Northcutt dropped a potential first down catch on third down and 12, forcing his team to punt. Taking over at their own 42-yard line, Maddox threw to Burress for 24 yards, Ward for 10, Burress again for 17, and Ward again for seven before Fuamatu-Ma'afala finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run. Then Tuman scored the two-point conversion to give the Steelers a 36–33 lead. The Browns attempted to drive for the tying field goal, but time expired in the game on Holcomb's 16-yard completion to Andre King at the Steelers 29-yard line.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 36, Cleveland Browns 33
Maddox completed 30 of 48 passes for a franchise postseason record 367 yards and three touchdowns, with two interceptions. Burress caught six passes for 100 yards and a touchdown, while Ward caught 11 passes for 104 yards and a score. Randle El caught five passes for 85 yards and returned a punt 66 yards for a touchdown. In his first career playoff game, Holcomb completed 26 of 43 passes for 429 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. Johnson caught four passes for 140 yards, while Northcutt caught six passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns, and returned two punts for 70 yards.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 36, Cleveland Browns 33
This was the most recent playoff appearance for the Browns until the 2020 season.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 36, Cleveland Browns 33
This was the second postseason meeting between the Browns and Steelers. Pittsburgh won the only prior meeting.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, NFC: San Francisco 49ers 39, New York Giants 38
The Steelers' comeback earlier in the day was matched by San Francisco's similar late drive, overcoming a 38–14 deficit by scoring 25 unanswered points in the second half.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, NFC: San Francisco 49ers 39, New York Giants 38
In the first quarter, 49ers linebacker Julian Peterson intercepted a pass from Kerry Collins at the San Francisco 24-yard line after it bounced off the hands of running back Ron Dayne. On the next play, 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia threw a moderate pass to Terrell Owens, who broke two tackles and took it 76 yards to the end zone. New York responded with an 11-play, 65-yard drive, that ended with Collins' 12-yard touchdown pass to Amani Toomer, tying the game at 7.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, NFC: San Francisco 49ers 39, New York Giants 38
In the second quarter, the Giants stormed 61 yards in five plays, featuring a 29-yard run by Tiki Barber. After that, Collins completed a 27-yard pass to tight end Jeremy Shockey, and capped off the drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass to him one play later. The 49ers however, responded with an unconventional 69-yard drive that featured two runs by Garcia for over 10 yards and a 25-yard completion from Owens to receiver Tai Streets on a reverse-pass play. Running back Kevan Barlow completed the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to tie the game.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, NFC: San Francisco 49ers 39, New York Giants 38
However, two key 49ers turnovers allowed the Giants to go into their locker room at halftime with a 28–14 lead. First, the Giants were forced to punt on their ensuing possession, but returner Cedrick Wilson muffed the kick and New York's Johnnie Harris recovered the ball on the 49ers 8-yard line. Collins then threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Toomer on the next play. After the ensuing kickoff, defensive back Jason Sehorn picked off a pass from Garcia at New York's 44-yard line. Two plays later on third down and 8, Collins completed a 30-yard pass to Barber, and followed it up with a 24-yard touchdown completion to Toomer with just 10 seconds left in the half.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, NFC: San Francisco 49ers 39, New York Giants 38
The Giants continued to build their lead in the second half. Five minutes into the third quarter, San Francisco turned the ball over on downs at the Giants 46-yard line, but the stop came at a cost for the Giants, as defensive end Kenny Holmes suffered a game-ending injury while making the tackle on fourth down. New York subsequently moved the ball 54 yards in six plays. Barber rushed for 37 yards on the drive and finished it with a 6-yard touchdown run, increasing the Giants lead to 35–14. Later in the quarter, Collins' 46-yard completion to Toomer set up a 21-yard field goal from kicker Matt Bryant, making the score 38–14 with 4:27 left in the third quarter. However, the field goal came after Shockey dropped a potential touchdown catch in the end zone.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, NFC: San Francisco 49ers 39, New York Giants 38
San Francisco stormed back, driving 70 yards in seven plays on a drive that consumed only 2:24 and ended with Garcia's 26-yard touchdown pass to Owens. Owens added a 2-point conversion catch on the next play, cutting the 49ers deficit to 38–22. After the play, an iconic scene of defensive lineman Michael Strahan walking over to Owens and pointing to the scoreboard to remind him of the deficit they still faced would be a highlight of the game.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, NFC: San Francisco 49ers 39, New York Giants 38
New York was forced to punt after three plays on their next drive. Matt Allen's short kick and a 15-yard personal foul against Dhani Jones for hitting the returner after a fair catch gave San Francisco the ball on the Giants 27-yard line. Three plays later, Garcia scored on a 14-yard touchdown run, and then completed another two-point conversion pass to Owens, cutting the score to 38–30 five seconds into the fourth quarter.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, NFC: San Francisco 49ers 39, New York Giants 38
After forcing New York to punt once again, the 49ers drove 74 yards in 15 plays, including a 3-yard reception by Streets on fourth down and 1, and scored with a 25-yard field goal by Jeff Chandler. The Giants responded with a drive to the San Francisco 20-yard line, but with 3:01 left in the game, a poor snap from 41-year-old Trey Junkin, who had been signed back out of retirement less than a week before the game, threw off the timing on Bryant's 42-yard field goal attempt and it went wide left.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, NFC: San Francisco 49ers 39, New York Giants 38
Garcia then took over, converting two third downs, one of them a 25-yard completion to tight end Eric Johnson, and rushing for 12 yards on the way to a 13-yard touchdown pass to Streets. This time, the two-point conversion failed when Will Allen intercepted Garcia's pass intended for Owens, but the 49ers took the lead, 39–38, with one minute left in regulation.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, NFC: San Francisco 49ers 39, New York Giants 38
The touchdown and 2-point conversion plays resulted in offsetting personal fouls on both teams after they ended. After the touchdown, Owens was flagged for taunting safety Shaun Williams, while Williams was flagged shoving him to the ground in response. Then after the two-point conversion, Owens was penalized for a late hit on Allen, which started a brawl between both teams. During the altercation, Williams was penalized and ejected from the game for throwing a punch at 49ers center Jeremy Newberry.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, NFC: San Francisco 49ers 39, New York Giants 38
However, the Giants did have a chance to win. Delvin Joyce returned Chandler's short kickoff 32 yards to the 48-yard line. Collins then led them to the 49ers 23-yard line with six seconds left, but Junkin botched a snap for a 41-yard field goal attempt, resulting in a feeble pass play that fell incomplete. The Giants were also called for having an illegal man downfield on the play, and the game ended.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, NFC: San Francisco 49ers 39, New York Giants 38
The following day, it was revealed that the penalized player (guard Rich Seubert) had in fact checked in as an eligible receiver before the field goal attempt, although a different Giant lineman (guard Tam Hopkins) actually was illegally downfield. NFL Vice President of Officiating Mike Pereira admitted pass interference also should have been called on 49ers defensive end Chike Okeafor for pulling down Seubert. Had the two right calls been made, the down would have been replayed at the previous spot, the San Francisco 23.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, NFC: San Francisco 49ers 39, New York Giants 38
Garcia threw for 331 yards, three touchdowns, and interception, while also leading the 49ers on the ground with 60 rushing yards and another score. Owens caught nine passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns. He also scored two two-point conversions and completed a 25-yard pass. Collins threw for 342 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception. Toomer caught eight passes for 136 yards and three touchdowns. Barber rushed for 115 yards, caught five passes for 62 yards, and scored a touchdown.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, NFC: San Francisco 49ers 39, New York Giants 38
This was featured on the NFL's Greatest Games as One Wild Finish, and was #4 on NFL Top 10's Top Ten Comebacks and was also #6 on NFL Top 10's Top Ten Controversial Calls on Rich Seubert) illegal man downfield call.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Wild Card playoffs, Sunday, January 5, 2003, NFC: San Francisco 49ers 39, New York Giants 38
This was the seventh postseason meeting between the Giants and 49ers. Both teams had split the prior six meetings.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 11, 2003, AFC: Tennessee Titans 34, Pittsburgh Steelers 31 (OT)
The third time was the charm for Titans kicker Joe Nedney. After missing the potential game-winning field goal at the end of regulation time, and a second failed kick in overtime was negated because of a controversial running-into-the-kicker penalty on Pittsburgh's Dewayne Washington, Nedney won the game from 26 yards out 2:15 into overtime. Steelers coach Bill Cowher was incensed, saying he called a timeout before the winning kick took place.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 11, 2003, AFC: Tennessee Titans 34, Pittsburgh Steelers 31 (OT)
Titans defensive back Samari Rolle gave his team an early scoring opportunity when he intercepted Tommy Maddox's first pass of the game and returned it 16 yards to the Tennessee 48-yard line. The Titans then drove 52 yards in seven plays to score on quarterback Steve McNair's 8-yard scramble. Following a Steelers punt, Tennessee drove 76 yards in 16 plays to score on Eddie George's 1-yard touchdown run. The key player of the drive was receiver Drew Bennett, who was responsible for two of the drive's four third down conversions. He caught a 19-yard pass on third and 16 from the Titans 36, and later hauled in a 9-yard catch on third and 8 from the Steelers 43.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 11, 2003, AFC: Tennessee Titans 34, Pittsburgh Steelers 31 (OT)
However, Pittsburgh ended up dominating the second quarter. After punting on their next drive, Steelers defensive back Lethon Flowers recovered a fumble from George (his first fumble of the season) on the Titans 8-yard line, leading to Maddox's 8-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward. Then Tennessee lost another turnover when McNair threw a pass that was intercepted by Chad Scott on the Steelers 41. On the next play, Maddox completed a 40-yard pass to Plaxico Burress, setting up Jeff Reed's 30-yard field goal that made the score 14–10.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 11, 2003, AFC: Tennessee Titans 34, Pittsburgh Steelers 31 (OT)
The next time they had the ball, they took advantage of a 35-yard pass interference penalty against Rolle, along with three key plays by Ward, who caught two passes for 18 yards and rushed for 11. Reed finished the drive with a 39-yard field goal on the last play of the half, making the score 14-13 going into halftime.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 11, 2003, AFC: Tennessee Titans 34, Pittsburgh Steelers 31 (OT)
On the first play of the second half, Steelers defensive tackle Casey Hampton forced a fumble from George that Aaron Smith recovered for Pittsburgh on the Titans 31-yard line. On the next play, the team took a 20–14 lead with a 31-yard touchdown run by Amos Zereoué. But Tennessee stormed right back, going into a no-huddle offense and scoring twice in a span of five minutes. First, they responded by driving 70 yards in eight plays, including a 39-yard reception by tight end Frank Wycheck, and scored on McNair's 7-yard touchdown toss to Wycheck that retook the lead.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 11, 2003, AFC: Tennessee Titans 34, Pittsburgh Steelers 31 (OT)
The Steelers had to punt on their next drive, and Derrick Mason returned the ball nine yards to the Titans 42-yard line. McNair then completed two passes to Mason for 24 total yards and one to Wycheck for 21 on the way to his 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Erron Kinney, giving Tennessee a 28–20 lead with 2:53 left in the third quarter.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 11, 2003, AFC: Tennessee Titans 34, Pittsburgh Steelers 31 (OT)
The momentum seemed to be back in Tennessee's favor, particularly when Reed missed a 44-yard field goal attempt early in the fourth quarter. But after a Titans punt, Pittsburgh drove 65 yards in seven plays to score on Maddox's 21-yard touchdown pass to Ward. Then Burress caught a pass for a 2-point conversion that tied the game at 28. On the first play after the following kickoff, Deshea Townsend intercepted a pass from McNair on the Steelers 43, leading to Reed's 40-yard field goal that gave the team a 31–28 lead.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 11, 2003, AFC: Tennessee Titans 34, Pittsburgh Steelers 31 (OT)
Titans running back John Simon returned the ensuing kickoff 38 yards to the Steelers 42-yard line, where the team proceeded to drive 38 yards, including a 20-yard catch by Bennett, to tie the game with Nedney's 43-yard field goal. After the next three drives ended in punts, the Titans drove for a potential game-winning field goal, only to have Nedney miss a 48-yard kick on the last play of regulation.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 11, 2003, AFC: Tennessee Titans 34, Pittsburgh Steelers 31 (OT)
In the first overtime period, referee Ron Blum announced that each team had three timeouts. This caused some confusion because, compared with the regular season, overtime in the postseason utilizes slightly different rules. The Titans took the opening kickoff and McNair threw completions to Justin McCareins for gains of 31 and 22 yards before Robert Holcombe's 3-yard run put the ball on the Steelers 16-yard line. They sent out Nedney to win the game, setting up a wild finish. Nedney's first kick was good, but it was negated because the Steelers had called timeout.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 11, 2003, AFC: Tennessee Titans 34, Pittsburgh Steelers 31 (OT)
The fireworks operator at the stadium inadvertently set off the fireworks, delaying the game for several minutes. After the fireworks had fizzled, Nedney attempted to win the game again. His kick was wide right, but Washington was penalized for running into Nedney. After the five-yard penalty was assessed, Nedney was given a third try. This time he converted the kick, winning the game.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 11, 2003, AFC: Tennessee Titans 34, Pittsburgh Steelers 31 (OT)
Wycheck finished the game with 10 receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown. McNair threw for a career postseason high 338 yards and two touchdowns, with two interceptions, while rushing for 29 yards and another score on the ground. Maddox threw for 266 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Ward caught seven passes for 82 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 11 yards.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 11, 2003, AFC: Tennessee Titans 34, Pittsburgh Steelers 31 (OT)
This was the fourth postseason meeting between the Steelers and Titans. Pittsburgh won all three prior meetings while the Titans were the Houston Oilers.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 11, 2003, NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 20, Atlanta Falcons 6
The hyped quarterback duel between Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick never materialized, as the Eagles' defense sacked Vick three times and intercepted him twice, including Bobby Taylor's 39-yard return for a touchdown.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 11, 2003, NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 20, Atlanta Falcons 6
At the end of the game's second possession, Eagles punter Lee Johnson pinned the Falcons back at their own 18-yard line with a 60-yard kick. A few plays later, Taylor intercepted a Vick pass and returned it 39 yards for the first score of the game. Following a Falcons punt, McNabb's completions to Chad Lewis and Todd Pinkston for gains of 15 and 24 yards set up David Akers's 34-yard field goal. Early in the second quarter, Akers kicked another field goal at the end of a drive that featured a 42-yard completion from McNabb to receiver James Thrash.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 11, 2003, NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 20, Atlanta Falcons 6
With the Eagles now leading 13–0, Vick tried to rally his team back. First he led them 61 yards in 13 plays, including a 23-yard completion to Quentin McCord, to score on a Jay Feely field goal with 4:10 left in the half. Then after forcing a punt, Vick ran for 20 yards and completed a 16-yard pass to Brian Finneran to set up a 52-yard field goal from Feely, making the score 13–6 by halftime.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 11, 2003, NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 20, Atlanta Falcons 6
But in the third quarter, a 20-yard touchdown run by Vick that could have tied the game was called back by a holding penalty on Travis Claridge, and Feely missed a 37-yard field goal a few plays later. The Eagles eventually increased their lead to 20–6 with McNabb's 35-yard touchdown pass to Thrash with 6:26 left in the fourth quarter. Atlanta drove into scoring range on their next two possessions, but the first ended with a turnover on downs at the Eagles 21, and the second was ended by Brian Dawkins' interception with 17 seconds left in the game.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 11, 2003, NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 20, Atlanta Falcons 6
McNabb finished with 20 of 30 completions for 247 yards and a touchdown, along with 24 rushing yards. This would be the last win for the Eagles at Veterans Stadium.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Saturday, January 11, 2003, NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 20, Atlanta Falcons 6
This was the second postseason meeting between the Falcons and Eagles. Atlanta won the only prior meeting.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 12, 2003, NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, San Francisco 49ers 6
The Buccaneers, with the league's top-ranked defense during the 2002 regular season, forced five turnovers, sacked quarterback Jeff Garcia four times, and limited the 49ers to only two field goals. Tampa Bay quarterback Brad Johnson, who had been sidelined for a month, returned to throw for 196 yards and two touchdowns. Fullback Mike Alstott rushed for 60 yards, caught three passes for 27 yards, and scored two touchdowns, while the Buccaneers held onto the ball for 36:46 and held the 49ers to a season low 228 yards. This was San Francisco's first playoff game without a touchdown since 1986, while Tampa Bay finished this game with more points scored than in their last three playoff games combined.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 12, 2003, NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, San Francisco 49ers 6
San Francisco had a chance to score early when defensive back Rashad Holman intercepted a pass from Johnson on the opening drive and returned it 13 yards to the Buccaneers 40-yard line. But on third down, Bucs defenders Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks shared a sack on Garcia that pushed the 49ers out of field goal range. Tampa Bay then drove 74 yards in 13 plays with a drive that included 17-yard receptions by Alstott and receiver Keyshawn Johnson, along with four third down conversions. Alstott finished the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run. San Francisco responded as Garcia's 30-yard completion to Tai Streets set up a 24-yard field goal by Jeff Chandler, but the 7–3 score ended up being as close as the 49ers would get for the rest of the game.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 12, 2003, NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, San Francisco 49ers 6
Tampa Bay increased their lead to 14-3 early in the second quarter with a 73-yard drive in which Keyshawn Johnson caught two passes for 42 total yards and Brad Johnson finished off with a 20-yard scoring pass to Joe Jurevicius. A pair of 15-yard penalties against the Bucs defense enabled the 49ers to drive back for another Chandler field goal, but a 36-yard pass interference call against San Francisco safety Tony Parrish soon led to another Buccaneer touchdown, this one a 12-yard catch by tight end Rickey Dudley. Later on, Brooks intercepted a pass from Garcia at the 49ers 26-yard line. One play later, Michael Pittman's 22-yard burst moved the ball to the 4-yard line, and Alstott finished the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run, giving Tampa Bay a 28–6 lead with 55 seconds left in the half.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 12, 2003, NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, San Francisco 49ers 6
On the first play of the third quarter, Bucs defensive back Dwight Smith intercepted Garcia and returned the ball six yards to the San Francisco 37, setting up Martín Gramática's 19-yard field goal. This ended up being the final score of the game as both defenses took over from that point on. The closest the Bucs would come to scoring again was a missed 45-yard field goal attempt by Gramatica.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 12, 2003, NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, San Francisco 49ers 6
Meanwhile, San Francisco's remaining drives would result in two punts, a Garcia fumble that was recovered by Brooks on the Tampa Bay 35, a failed fourth down conversion attempt when Brooks tackled Eric Johnson one yard short of the marker, an interception by Tampa Bay defensive back Ronde Barber, and time expiring in the game.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 12, 2003, NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, San Francisco 49ers 6
Despite San Francisco's 10–6 record, the NFC West title, and their Wild Card playoff win against the New York Giants, coach Steve Mariucci was fired three days after this game. The 49ers would not return to the playoffs until 2011.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 12, 2003, NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, San Francisco 49ers 6
This was the first postseason meeting between the 49ers and Buccaneers.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 12, 2003, AFC: Oakland Raiders 30, New York Jets 10
Chad Pennington's dream season came to an end as the Jets quarterback threw two interceptions, lost two fumbles, and was sacked four times (twice by Rod Coleman). Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon threw for 283 yards and two touchdowns as Oakland pulled away from a 10–10 halftime tie by forcing four consecutive turnovers and scoring twenty consecutive second half points.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 12, 2003, AFC: Oakland Raiders 30, New York Jets 10
Aided by a 15-yard run from Curtis Martin and a 20-yard pass interference penalty on Charles Woodson, John Hall's 38-yard field goal gave the Jets an early 3–0 lead before he was matched by a 29-yard field goal from Sebastian Janikowski to tie the game. On the Jets next drive, Oakland lineman Travian Smith forced and recovered a fumble from Pennington on New York's 27-yard line. On the next play, running back Charlie Garner fumbled the ball, but Oakland guard Frank Middleton recovered it, and fullback Zack Crockett ended up scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run a few plays later. But Pennington led the Jets back, completing eight of nine passes for 51 yards on an 81-yard drive that took seven minutes off the clock and ended with his 1-yard touchdown pass to Jerald Sowell, tying the game with 22 seconds left in the first half.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 12, 2003, AFC: Oakland Raiders 30, New York Jets 10
Early in the third quarter, Raiders defensive back Tory James intercepted a pass from Pennington on the Jets 45-yard line. Gannon then went downfield, hitting Tim Brown with a 16-yard completion and then throwing a 29-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Rice. New York turned the ball over on downs with their next possession, and Gannon once again went to work, completing a 50-yard strike to Jerry Porter and finishing the drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Rice, increasing the Raiders lead to 24–10.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 12, 2003, AFC: Oakland Raiders 30, New York Jets 10
The Jets turned the ball over again when Richie Anderson fumbled a handoff on their ensuing drive. New York defensive back Damien Robinson intercepted a pass from Gannon on the next play, but Oakland's Eric Barton returned the favor with an interception of his own, setting up a 34-yard Janikowski field goal. Janikowski later added another field goal with less than five minutes left in the game.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Divisional playoffs, Sunday, January 12, 2003, AFC: Oakland Raiders 30, New York Jets 10
This was the fourth postseason meeting between the Jets and Raiders. New York won two of the three previous meetings.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10
A game that is now known as Black Sunday in Philadelphia's sports lore, Tampa Bay won on the road for the first time in playoff history, and in temperatures below 32 °F (0 °C), in the last football game played at Veterans Stadium. The Eagles were heavy favorites at home going into the game. The Eagles had beaten the Buccaneers four consecutive times, in the wild card round the two previous seasons, and also during regular-season games in 2001 and 2002. During the two playoff losses, both at Veterans Stadium, Tampa Bay had failed to score a single touchdown.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10
Eagles running back Brian Mitchell returned the opening kickoff 70 yards to the Tampa Bay 26-yard line, setting up a 20-yard touchdown run by Duce Staley less than a minute into the game. Tampa Bay responded by driving 37 yards and scoring with Martin Gramatica's 48-yard field goal on their ensuing drive. After a Philadelphia punt, Eagles defensive back Bobby Taylor intercepted a pass from Brad Johnson on the Buccaneers 47-yard line. The Eagles then drove to a fourth down on the 32, but decided to punt rather than try a long field goal.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10
Lee Johnson's 28-yard punt pinned the Buccaneers back at their own 4-yard line. But Tampa Bay stormed 96 yards and scored with Mike Alstott's 1-yard touchdown run to take a 10–7 lead. The key play on the drive was a 71-yard completion from Brad Johnson to Joe Jurevicius on third down and two from their own 24-yard line. According to America's Game, coach Jon Gruden had three receivers stacked tight in a trips formation, and he got Jurevicius on a one-on-one "option" route against the middle linebacker of the Eagles.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10
Early in the second quarter, Lee Johnson's 64-yard punt pinned the Bucs back on their own 2-yard line. This time the Eagles defense was able to take advantage of the field position, forcing a three-and-out that earned the offense a first down on Tampa Bay 38-yard line after Tom Tupa's 36-yard punt. Philadelphia then drove 26 yards to tie the game 10–10 on a 30-yard field goal from David Akers, but the Bucs responded with an 80-yard, 12-play drive.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10
Johnson completed a 31-yard pass to running back Michael Pittman and a 22-yard strike to Keyshawn Johnson before finishing the drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Keyshawn Johnson that gave the team a 17–10 lead. With time running out in the half, Donovan McNabb led the Eagles to the Tampa Bay 24-yard line, only to lose a fumble while being sacked by his high school teammate Simeon Rice, who stripped the ball away and recovered it himself.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10
On the Eagles' first drive of the third quarter, McNabb lost another fumble due to a tackle from defensive back Ronde Barber, and Bucs lineman Ellis Wyms recovered it. Later on, the Buccaneers took advantage of a 15-yard fair catch interference penalty against Philadelphia that gave them a first down on their own 48, driving 41 yards, including a 19-yard catch by tight end Ken Dilger to score on a 27-yard Martín Gramática field goal with 1:02 left in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, the Eagles managed to drive 73 yards to Tampa Bay's 10-yard line, but Barber intercepted McNabb's pass with 3:12 left in the game and returned it 92 yards for a touchdown to seal the victory.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10
This game was somewhat devoid of offensive stars. Jurevicius's single reception for 71 yards made him the leading receiver, while the leading rusher was Staley with a mere 58 yards. Brad Johnson threw for 259 yards and a touchdown. Mitchell, the NFL's all-time leader in both regular season and postseason kickoff return yards, returned four kickoffs for 125 yards and four punts for 34 yards in the final playoff game of his career.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10
This was the last Eagles game played at Veterans Stadium, which was demolished following the 2003 Major League Baseball season. In a Sports Illustrated list of the worst losses in Philadelphia sports history since the city's last title in 1983 published in 2008, this game was ranked first.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10
Until the Jacksonville Jaguars' appearance in the 2017 AFC championship game, this was the last conference title game to feature a team from Florida.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10
This was also the Buccaneers' last NFC championship appearance until 2020.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10
This was the fourth postseason meeting between the Buccaneers and Eagles. Philadelphia had won two of the previous three meetings.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, AFC: Oakland Raiders 41, Tennessee Titans 24
Oakland called only one running play in the first three quarters of the game, choosing to rely almost exclusively on the passing of 37-year-old quarterback Rich Gannon. And Gannon proved to be up to the task, leading the Raiders to victory with 286 passing yards and three touchdowns, along with 41 yards and a touchdown on eight carries.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, AFC: Oakland Raiders 41, Tennessee Titans 24
On the first play from scrimmage, Gannon completed a 29-yard pass to Jerry Rice. He went on to complete 5/5 passes for 64 yards and rush for three on a 70-yard drive that ended with his 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jerry Porter. The Titans countered with a 9-play, 74-yard drive that ended with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Steve McNair to Drew Bennett to tie it up five minutes later.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, AFC: Oakland Raiders 41, Tennessee Titans 24
Oakland struck back as Gannon completed a 17-yard pass to Charlie Garner, a 14-yard pass to Jon Ritchie, and then ran the ball 13 yards to the Titans 42. Following a penalty, his 31-yard completion to Porter moved the ball to the 16, and he ended up finishing the drive with a 12-yard touchdown completion to Garner, giving the Raiders a 14–7 lead.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, AFC: Oakland Raiders 41, Tennessee Titans 24
Tennessee then drove 59 yards, featuring a 16-yard scramble by McNair, to cut the score to 14-10 early in the second quarter on Joe Nedney's 29-yard field goal. Later on, Derrick Mason returned a Raiders punt 11 yards to the Titans 45-yard line, sparking a 55-yard drive that ended on McNair's 9-yard touchdown run that gave the team a 17–14 lead with 2:54 left in the half.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, AFC: Oakland Raiders 41, Tennessee Titans 24
Then things fell apart for Tennessee. Backed up at their own 11-yard line by a Shane Lechler punt and simply trying to run out the clock, running back Robert Holcombe fumbled the ball while being tackled by Raiders linebacker Eric Barton, and defensive back Anthony Dorsett, Holcombe's old teammate who was a member of the Titans when they reached Super Bowl XXXIV, recovered the ball at the Tennessee 16-yard line.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, AFC: Oakland Raiders 41, Tennessee Titans 24
On the next play, Rice caught a 15-yard reception at the 1-yard line, and then Gannon found Doug Jolley in the back of the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown pass, giving the Raiders a 21–17 lead. Then on the ensuing kickoff, rookie returner John Simon was stripped of the ball by Tim Johnson, and Alvis Whitted recovered the fumble for Oakland on the Titans' 39-yard line, setting up a 43-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski on the last play of the first half, making the score 24–17.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, AFC: Oakland Raiders 41, Tennessee Titans 24
Tennessee took the second half kickoff and drove all the way to the Raiders 22-yard line before McNair was sacked for an 11-yard loss on third down by John Parrella. Because Nedney had been injured making a tackle in the second quarter, Titans coach Jeff Fisher decided to punt rather than attempt a long field goal. The next time they had the ball, Titans punter Craig Hentrich was tackled for a 6-yard loss by Johnson before he could kick the ball, giving Oakland a first down on the Tennessee 19.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, AFC: Oakland Raiders 41, Tennessee Titans 24
Janikowski then kicked another field goal to make the score 27–17. This time, the Titans managed to respond, driving 70 yards and scoring with McNair's 13-yard touchdown run to cut their deficit to 27–24. But the Raiders responded with a 66-yard drive, kept alive by a 14-yard pass interference penalty on defensive back Samari Rolle on a third down play in which Gannon threw an incompletion. Garner also made a big impact with an 18-yard run, and eventually Gannon capped the drive off with a 2-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Fullback Zack Crockett later finished a 69-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown run to put the game away.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, AFC: Oakland Raiders 41, Tennessee Titans 24
Until the 2019 NFL season, this was the last AFC championship game which did not feature Tom Brady, Peyton Manning or Ben Roethlisberger as a starting quarterback. With the Raiders' approved relocation to Las Vegas for 2020, this would prove to be the last playoff game played at the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum. In addition, this is, to date, the last Oakland Raiders' playoff victory, as they would not qualify for the playoffs again until 2016.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Conference Championships, Sunday, January 19, 2003, AFC: Oakland Raiders 41, Tennessee Titans 24
This was the fourth postseason meeting between the Titans and Raiders. Oakland won all three previous meetings while the Titans were the Houston Oilers.


2002–03 NFL playoffs, Super Bowl XXXVII: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48, Oakland Raiders 21
This was the first Super Bowl meeting between the Raiders and Buccaneers.


2002–03 NHL season
The 2002–03 NHL season was the 86th regular season of the National Hockey League. The Stanley Cup winners were the New Jersey Devils, who won the best of seven series 4–3 against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.


2002–03 NHL season, Regular season
The regular season saw several surprises. The San Jose Sharks, who many felt would be one of the elite teams in the West, stumbled early and badly disassembled much of the team. The two-year-old Minnesota Wild, on the other hand, got out to an early start and held onto their first-ever playoff berth throughout the season, winning coach Jacques Lemaire the Jack Adams Award.


2002–03 NHL season, Regular season
The elite teams of previous years such as the Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche and New Jersey Devils, were joined by two younger Canadian teams, the Ottawa Senators and Vancouver Canucks. The Dallas Stars, which had missed the playoffs the year before, returned as a major power, backed by the record-setting goaltending of Marty Turco.


2002–03 NHL season, Regular season
The most surprising team was probably the Tampa Bay Lightning, which many had predicted to finish last, winning their first Southeast Division title and making the playoffs for the first time in seven years. The most disappointing teams, other than the Sharks, were the New York Rangers, who finished out of the playoffs again despite bearing the league's leading payroll, and the Carolina Hurricanes, who finished last overall after a surprise run to the Stanley Cup Final the year before.


2002–03 NHL season, Regular season
On January 8, 2003, Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Michael Leighton gained a shutout in his NHL debut in a 0–0 tie versus the Phoenix Coyotes. Coyotes goaltender Zac Bierk earned his first career shutout, although it was not his NHL debut. It was the first—and with the abolition of ties two years later, the only—time that two goalies in the same game both earned their first career shutouts.


2002–03 NHL season, Regular season
At the midpoint of the season, the Canucks led the Western Conference and Ottawa led the East. Vancouver stumbled somewhat over the stretch and lost the Northwest Division title to Colorado and the Western Conference to Dallas. Ottawa continued to dominate, having the best season in franchise history and winning both the Eastern Conference and the Presidents' Trophy.


2002–03 NHL season, Regular season
The season was also marred by financial difficulties. Despite their success, the Ottawa Senators were in bankruptcy protection for almost all of 2003, and at one point could not pay the players. Owner Rod Bryden tried a variety of innovative financing strategies, but these all failed and the team was purchased after the season by billionaire Eugene Melnyk. The Buffalo Sabres also entered bankruptcy protection before being bought by New York businessman Tom Golisano. The financial struggles of the Pittsburgh Penguins continued as the team continued to unload its most expensive players.


2002–03 NHL season, Regular season
The season was marked by a great number of coaches being fired, from Bob Hartley in Colorado to Darryl Sutter in San Jose and Bryan Trottier of the New York Rangers.


2002–03 NHL season, Regular season
Worries over the decline in scoring and the neutral zone trap continued. The season began with an attempted crack down on obstruction and interference, but by the midpoint of the season this effort had petered out.


2002–03 NHL season, Regular season, Final standings
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points


2002–03 NHL season, Regular season, Final standings, Eastern Conference
Divisions: AT – Atlantic, NE – Northeast, SE – Southeast


2002–03 NHL season, Regular season, Final standings, Eastern Conference
P –  Clinched Presidents Trophy; Y –  Clinched Division; X –  Clinched Playoff spot


2002–03 NHL season, Regular season, Final standings, Western Conference
Note: CR = Conference rank; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime loss; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points         Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.


2002–03 NHL season, Regular season, Final standings, Western Conference
Divisions: PA – Pacific, CE – Central, NW – Northwest


2002–03 NHL season, Regular season, Final standings, Western Conference
Z –  Clinched Conference; Y –  Clinched Division; X –  Clinched Playoff spot


2002–03 NHL season, Playoffs
The 2003 Stanley Cup playoffs was one of shocking upsets in the Western Conference and hard fought battles in the Eastern Conference.


2002–03 NHL season, Playoffs
The most closely watched series in the first round was that between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Philadelphia Flyers. Two teams built around physical play with high salary and front-page trade deadline acquisitions. The series did not disappoint and the Flyers ousted the Leafs in seven games. The Senators easily dispatched the New York Islanders, who had traded away their starting goaltender (Chris Osgood) before the playoffs. Despite losing the first two games, Tampa Bay rallied and defeated their division rival the Washington Capitals. New Jersey easily defeated the Boston Bruins, effectively shutting down star player Joe Thornton.


2002–03 NHL season, Playoffs
In the west, the first round was one of unmitigated shock to all hockey watchers. The defending champions and perennial cup favourite Detroit Red Wings were swept by the underdog Mighty Ducks of Anaheim behind the goaltending of Jean-Sebastien Giguere. After losing three out of the first four games, the Minnesota Wild came back and defeated the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche in game seven. Vancouver also lost three of its first four games with the St. Louis Blues, but then rallied and won game seven. The only series that surprised no one was the Dallas Stars–Edmonton Oilers grudge match that saw the first place Stars oust the Oilers with only some difficulty.


2002–03 NHL season, Playoffs
The second round in the west brought more upsets. The Minnesota Wild again fell 3–1 behind while playing Vancouver, but rallied and defeated them in seven games. Giguere's stellar goaltending continued to triumph as the Ducks ousted the Stars in six games. The Western Conference final was a meeting of two dark horse teams, but the superb goaltending of Giguere and the Ducks triumphed over the tight checking of the Minnesota Wild. This was the first time since 1994 that a team other than Detroit, Colorado, or Dallas had won the Western Conference and earned a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals.


2002–03 NHL season, Playoffs
The east was far more predictable as Tampa Bay's youth showed when playing the grizzled veterans of the New Jersey Devils and the Ottawa Senators dispatched a tired Flyers team for the second year in a row. The Eastern Conference finals were a contrast of styles between the offensively explosive Senators and the defence minded Devils.


2002–03 NHL season, Playoffs
The Devils came out to an early lead in the series, Ottawa rallied, winning games five and six on the energizing play of rookie Jason Spezza, but then the Devils regained their form as goaltender Martin Brodeur helped them win game seven and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals for the third time in four years.


2002–03 NHL season, Playoffs, Finals
The Stanley Cup Finals was a duel between two elite goaltenders, but after seven games the Devils triumphed to win their third Cup in nine seasons. The series also saw Scott Stevens land one of his prototypical crushing hits on Anaheim captain Paul Kariya in Game 6, similar to the one that had knocked out Eric Lindros, then of the Flyers in the 2000 Playoffs. Unlike Lindros, Kariya dramatically returned to the game only ten minutes later and scored a goal that effectively put the game away for the Mighty Ducks.


2002–03 NHL season, Player statistics, Regular season, Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points


2002–03 NHL season, Player statistics, Regular season, Leading goaltenders
Note: GP = Games played; Min – Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts


2002–03 NHL season, Player statistics, Playoffs, Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points


2002–03 NHL season, Milestones, Debuts
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 2002–03 (listed with their first team):


2002–03 NHL season, Milestones, Last games
The following is a list of players of note who played their last NHL game in 2002–03, listed with their team:


2002–03 NHL season, 2003 trade deadline
Trading deadline: March 11, 2003. Here is a list of major trades for the 2002–03 NHL trade deadline:


2002–03 NHL transactions
The following is a list of all team-to-team transactions that have occurred in the National Hockey League during the 2002–03 NHL season. It lists what team each player has been traded to, signed by, or claimed by, and for which players or draft picks, if applicable.


2002–03 NK Dinamo Zagreb season
This article shows statistics of individual players for the football club Dinamo Zagreb It also lists all matches that Dinamo Zagreb played in the 2002–03 season.


2002–03 NK Dinamo Zagreb season, Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2002–03 NOFV-Oberliga
The 2002–03 season of the NOFV-Oberliga was the ninth season of the league at tier four (IV) of the German football league system.


2002–03 NOFV-Oberliga
The NOFV-Oberliga was split into two divisions, NOFV-Oberliga Nord and NOFV-Oberliga Süd. The champions of each, FC Schönberg 95 and FC Sachsen Leipzig, entered into a play-off against each other for the right to play in the 2003–04 Regionalliga Nord. FC Sachsen Leipzig won 3–0 over two legs and thus gained promotion.


2002–03 NSW Premier League season
The 2002–03 NSW Premier League season was the third season of the revamped NSW Premier League.


2002–03 NSW Premier League season, Clubs
Teams promoted from Winter Super League:(After the end of the 2002 season.)


2002–03 NSW Premier League season, Clubs
Teams relegated to Winter Super League:(After the end of the 2001–02 season.)


2002–03 NTFL season
The 2002/03 NTFL season was the 82nd season of the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL).


2002–03 NTFL season
St Marys have won there 23rd premiership title while defeating the Palmerston in the grand final by 11 points.


2002–03 NWHL season, Final standings
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses,  GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, Pts = Points.


2002–03 NWHL season, Playoffs
The Calgary Oval X-treme won the Championship of the NWHL.


2002–03 NWHL season, 2003 Canadian championships
The Calgary Oval X-Treme  and the Brampton Thunder  competed in the 2003 Esso Women's National Hockey Championship. Calgary Oval X-treme won by a score of 6-3 in front of over 1,100 fans at Saskatchewan Place. Samantha Holmes scored twice while Colleen Sostorics and Delaney Collins each contributed two assists. Calgary Oval X-treme outscored their opponents in the tournament 46 to 10. With the win, Calgary Team was awarded the Abby Hoffman Cup.


2002–03 Nashville Predators season
The 2002–03 Nashville Predators season was the Nashville Predators' 5th season in the National Hockey League (NHL).


2002–03 Nashville Predators season, Regular season
The Predators tied the Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild and Pittsburgh Penguins for most times shut out, with 10, and tied the Montreal Canadiens for fewest short-handed goals scored, with 2.


2002–03 Nashville Predators season, Regular season, Final standings
Note: CR = Conference rank; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime loss; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points         Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.


2002–03 Nashville Predators season, Playoffs
The Predators missed the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year.


2002–03 Nashville Predators season, Player stats, Regular season
Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals      MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T/OT = Ties/overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;


2002–03 Nashville Predators season, Draft picks
Nashville's draft picks at the 2002 NHL Entry Draft held at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario.


2002–03 National Basketball Development League season
The 2002–03 NBDL season was the second for the National Basketball Development League. The season ended with the Mobile Revelers defeating the Fayetteville Patriots 2 games to 1 to win their first and only NBDL Championship.


2002–03 National Basketball Development League season, Playoffs
There were only 8 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in the league were seeded one to four. Each round of the playoffs were played a best-of-three series.


2002–03 National Division One
The 2002–03 National Division One (for sponsorship reasons known as the Jewson National Division One) was the 16th full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. New teams to the division included Orrell and Plymouth Albion who were promoted from 2001–02 National Division Two while no team was relegated from the 2001-02 Zurich Premiership as Rotherham's ground was not deemed suitable for top flight games.


2002–03 National Division One
For the second year in a row Rotherham, were champions, and this year they were promoted to the Zurich Premiership for season 2003–04 with Worcester finishing as runners–up for the third consecutive season. Moseley and Rugby were relegated to the 2003–04 National Division Two.


2002–03 National Division One, Season records, Team
102 - 3 Rotherham at home to Moseley on 6 October 2002


2002–03 National Division One, Season records, Team
75 - 7 Rotherham away to Moseley on 8 February 2003


2002–03 National Division One, Season records, Team
Exeter Chiefs at home to Rugby Lions on 14 September 2002Rotherham at home to Moseley on 6 October 2002


2002–03 National Division One, Season records, Team
Rotherham at home to Moseley on 6 October 2002Rotherham away to Moseley on 8 February 2003Worcester away to Moseley on 22 March 2003


2002–03 National Division One, Season records, Team
Bedford Blues at home to Otley on 2 November 2002Coventry at home to Exeter Chiefs on 9 April 2003


2002–03 National Division One, Season records, Team
Plymouth Albion at home to Wakefield on 8 February 2003Bedford Blues at home to Plymouth Albion on 23 March 2003Exeter Chiefs at home to Plymouth Albion on 19 April 2003


2002–03 National Division One, Season records, Player
Ramiro Pez for Rotherham at home to Moseley on 6 October 2002


2002–03 National Division One, Season records, Player
Drew Hickey for Orrell at home to Rugby Lions on 1 September 2002 Dan Ward-Smith for Plymouth Albion away to Rugby Lions on 26 October 2002 Dan Ward-Smith for Plymouth Albion at home to Manchester on 4 January 2003 Duncan Roke for Worcester away to Rugby Lions on 26 April 2003


2002–03 National Division One, Season records, Player
Ramiro Pez for Rotherham at home to Moseley on 6 October 2002 Jon Benson for Rotherham away to Moseley on 8 February 2003


2002–03 National Division One, Season records, Player
James Pritchard for Bedford Blues at home to Otley on 2 November 2002 Luke Smith for Coventry at home to Exeter Chiefs on 9 April 2003


2002–03 National Division One, Season records, Player
Tom Barlow for Plymouth Albion at home to Wakefield on 8 February 2003 Ed Barnes for Bedford Blues at home to Plymouth Albion on 23 March 2003 Tony Yapp for Exeter Chiefs at home to Plymouth Albion on 19 April 2003


2002–03 National Division One, Season records, Attendances
Wakefield at home to Rugby Lions on 2 November 2002


2002–03 National Division Three North
The 2002–03 National Division Three North was the third season (fifteenth overall) of the fourth division (north) of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Three North. New teams to the division included Preston Grasshoppers and Waterloo who were relegated from the 2001–02 National Division Two while promoted teams included Broadstreet who came up as champions of Midlands Division 1 while Halifax (champions) and Hull Ionians (playoffs) came up from North Division 1.


2002–03 National Division Three North
The league system was 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw with the promotion system changing for this season with a playoff system being introduced. The champions of both National Division Three North and National Division Three South would automatically go up but the runners up of these two divisions would meet each other in a one off match (at the home ground of the side with the superior league record) to see who would claim the third and final promotion place to National Division Two for the following season.


2002–03 National Division Three North
By the end of the season Nuneaton would finish as champions, just edging out runners up New Brighton by virtue of an extra win and gaining promotion to the 2003–04 National Division Two. New Brighton would go into a promotion playoff away at the 2002–03 National Division Three South runners up Lydney but were unable to join Nuneaton as Lydney won 21 - 7 to claim the final promotion slot.


2002–03 National Division Three North
At the other end of the table, Scunthorpe were the first team to be relegated with just one win all season while Hull Ionians, Broadstreet and Bedford Athletic were the other teams to go down at a later date with Bedford Athletic just one point off safety. Hull Ionians would drop to North Division 1 while Scunthorpe, Broadstreet and Bedford Athletic would drop to Midlands Division 1.


2002–03 National Division Three North, Results, Promotion play-off
The league runners up of National Division Three South and North would meet in a playoff game for promotion to National Division Two. Lydney were runners-up in the south and because they had a better league record than north runners-up, New Brighton, they hosted the play-off match.


2002–03 National Division Three North, Season records, Team
67 - 0 Bedford Athletic at home to Scunthorpe on 22 March 2003


2002–03 National Division Three North, Season records, Team
60 - 0 Darlington Mowden Park away to Scunthorpe 22 February 2003


2002–03 National Division Three North, Season records, Team
71 - 19 Waterloo at home to Broadstreet on 8 February 2003


2002–03 National Division Three North, Season records, Team
Bedford Athletic at home to Scunthorpe on 22 March 2003


2002–03 National Division Three North, Season records, Team
Darlington Mowden Park at home to Hull Ionians on 21 December 2002


2002–03 National Division Three North, Season records, Team
Liverpool St Helens at home to Nuneaton on 23 November 2002


2002–03 National Division Three North, Season records, Player
Mark Bedworth for Darlington Mowden Park at home to Hull Ionians on 21 December 2002


2002–03 National Division Three North, Season records, Player
Oliver Viney for Preston Grasshoppers at home to Scunthorpe on 16 November 2002 Fergus Griffies for Waterloo away to Scunthorpe on 15 February 2003 Rod Penney for Dudley Kingswinford at home to Liverpool St Helens on 22 February 2003


2002–03 National Division Three North, Season records, Player
Tony Handley for Waterloo at home to Broadstreet on 8 February 2003


2002–03 National Division Three North, Season records, Player
Simon Worsley for Liverpool St Helens at home to Darlington Mowden Park on 2 November 2002 Simon Worsley for Liverpool St Helens at home to Nuneaton on 23 November 2002


2002–03 National Division Three South
The 2002-03 National Division Three South was the third season (sixteenth overall) of the fourth division (south) of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Three South. New teams to the division included Rosslyn Park who were relegated from the 2001–02 National Division Two while Havant (champions) and Basingstoke (playoffs) were promoted from London Division 1 along with champions of South West Division 1 – Weston-super-Mare. The league system was 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw. The league system was 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw with the league champions going straight up into National Division Two and the runners up playing a playoff against the runners up from National Division Three North for the final promotion place.


2002–03 National Division Three South
By the end of the season, Rosslyn Park made an instant return to National Division Two by winning the league championship, beating runners up Lydney to the title by virtue of just two points. Lydney would join Rosslyn Park in the 2003–04 National Division Two by winning their playoff game against the 2002–03 National Division Three North runners up New Brighton. At the other end of the table, Camberley were comfortable the worst team in the division with 26 defeats out of the 26 games played and over 1,000 points conceded.


2002–03 National Division Three South
Newly promoted Havant made a much better fight out of it in what was a very close relegation scrap, winning their last 3 games but eventually going down with only 2 points separating them from 9th placed Tabard. Camberley would drop down to London Division 1 while Havant went back into South West Division 1.


2002–03 National Division Three South, Results, Promotion play-off
The league runners up of National Division Three South and North would meet in a playoff game for promotion to National Division Two. Lydney were runners-up in the south and because they had a better league record than north runners-up, New Brighton, they hosted the play-off match.


2002–03 National Division Three South, Season records, Team
77 - 5 Rosslyn Park at home to Basingstoke on 11 January 2003


2002–03 National Division Three South, Season records, Team
67 - 10 Rosslyn Park away to Old Colfeians on 14 December 2002


2002–03 National Division Three South, Season records, Team
82 - 17 Rosslyn Park at home to Westcombe Park on 21 December 2002


2002–03 National Division Three South, Season records, Team
Rosslyn Park at home to Basingstoke on 11 January 2003


2002–03 National Division Three South, Season records, Team
Rosslyn Park away to Old Colfeians on 14 December 2002Rosslyn Park at home to Westcombe Park on 21 December 2002Havant v Weston-super-Mare on 5 April 2003


2002–03 National Division Three South, Season records, Player
Sam Howard for Rosslyn Park away to Old Colfeians on 14 December 2002


2002–03 National Division Three South, Season records, Player
Scott Pollock for Old Patesians at home to Camberley on 1 February 2003 Christopher for Basingstoke at home to North Walsham on 8 March 2003 Nick Marval for Rosslyn Park at home to Tabard on 22 March 2003


2002–03 National Division Three South, Season records, Player
Sam Howard for Rosslyn Park away to Old Colfeians on 14 December 2002 Sam Howard for Rosslyn Park at home to Westcombe Park on 21 December 2002 Owen Cobbe for Havant v Weston-super-Mare on 5 April 2003


2002–03 National Division Three South, Season records, Player
Jonathan Griffin for Blackheath at home to Redruth on 14 December 2002


2002–03 National Division Three South, Season records, Attendances
Redruth at home to Rosslyn Park on 7 September 2002


2002–03 National Division Three South, Season records, Attendances
Extremely poor attendance tracking meant it was impossible to get an accurate figure for attendances during this season. The figures above are simply the ones documented and larger/smaller attendances than those mentioned are very likely.


2002–03 National Division Two
The 2002–03 National Division Two was the third version (sixteenth overall) of the third division of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Two. New teams to the division included Henley Hawks and Bracknell who were relegated from the 2001–02 National Division One while promoted teams included Doncaster who were champions of the 2001–02 National Division Three North as well as Cornish teams Penzance & Newlyn (champions) and Launceston (playoffs) who came up from the 2001–02 National Division Three South. The league points system was 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw.


2002–03 National Division Two
Penzance & Newlyn finished the season as champions with Henley Hawks six points behind as runners up, both sides being convincingly the best in the division and would be promoted to the 2003–04 National Division One for the next season. For Penzance & Newlyn it was their second successive promotion while Henley made an instant return having been relegated the following season. Fylde and Kendal were the first two sides to be relegated but the battle for the last relegation spot was very tight with just three points separating 12th from 8th in the division.


2002–03 National Division Two
Launceston went into their last game ahead of relegation rivals Nottingham and Wharfedale, but while those sides won their games, Launceston lost their home game against league champions and local rivals Penzance & Newlyn to condemn the Polson Bridge side to the drop – dead level with Nottingham but with a worse points difference. Fylde and Kendal would drop to the 2003–04 National Division Three North while Launceston returned to the 2003–04 National Division Three South.


2002–03 National Division Two, Season records, Team
74 - 24 Henley Hawks at home to Stourbridge on 12 April 2003


2002–03 National Division Two, Season records, Team
54 - 12 Penzance & Newlyn away to Kendal on 7 December 2002


2002–03 National Division Two, Season records, Team
Henley Hawks at home to Stourbridge on 12 April 2003


2002–03 National Division Two, Season records, Team
Sedgley Park away to Wharfedale on 31 August 2002Stourbridge at home to Kendal on 16 November 2003


2002–03 National Division Two, Season records, Team
Esher at home to Kendal on 28 September 2002Kendal at home to Henley Hawks on 2 November 2002Kendal at home to Newbury Blues on 8 February 2003


2002–03 National Division Two, Season records, Player
Chris Glynn for Sedgley Park away to Wharfedale on 31 August 2002 Jonathon Davies for Wharfedale at home to Kendal on 12 April 2003


2002–03 National Division Two, Season records, Player
Victor Olonga for Penzance & Newlyn away to Kendal on 7 December 2002 Nash Shumba for Esher away to Stourbridge on 8 February 2003


2002–03 National Division Two, Season records, Player
Barry Reeves for Henley Hawks at home to Stourbridge on 12 April 2003


2002–03 National Division Two, Season records, Player
Chris Glynn for Sedgley Park away to Wharfedale on 31 August 2002 Ben Harvey for Stourbridge at home to Kendal on 16 November 2003


2002–03 National Division Two, Season records, Player
Chris Finch for Esher at home to Kendal on 28 September 2002 Mike Scott for Kendal at home to Henley Hawks on 2 November 2002 Mike Scott for Kendal at home to Newbury Blues on 8 February 2003


2002–03 National Division Two, Season records, Attendances
Penzance & Newlyn at home to Henley Hawks on 18 January 2003


2002–03 National Division Two, Season records, Attendances
Bracknell against Nottingham 8 March 2003 and Sedgley Park on 15 March 2003


2002–03 National Football League (India)
The 2002–03 Indian National Football League, also known as the Oil PSU National Football League for sponsorship reasons, was the seventh season of National Football League, the top Indian league for association football clubs, since its inception in 1996. The season began on 17 November 2002 and concluded on 28 April 2003. East Bengal won the title, their second, with a game to spare.


2002–03 National Football League (India), Overview
It was contested by 12 teams, and East Bengal won the championship under the coach Subhas Bhowmick and this was their second title. Salgaonkar came second and Vasco again came third. HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) and ITI (Indian Telephone Industries) were relegated from the National Football League next season.


2002–03 National Soccer League
The 2002–03 National Soccer League season, was the 27th season of the National Soccer League in Australia. The finals format was revised for this season, with the top six teams at the end of the regular season qualifying for a home-and-away championship series. The top two teams from the championship series progressed to the grand final. Olympic Sharks were crowned premiers and Perth Glory were champions.


2002–03 Nationalliga A
Statistics of Nationalliga A (French: Ligue Nationale A, Italian: Lega Nazionale A) in the 2002–03 football season.


2002–03 Nationalliga A, Nationalliga A, Overview
The Qualification Round to the League season 2002–03 was contested by twelve teams. The first eight teams of the regular season (or Qualification) were then to compete in the Championship Playoff Round. The teams in ninth to twelfth position competed with the top four teams of the Nationalliga B in a Nationalliga A/B Playoff round. At the end of the season Grasshopper Club Zürich won the championship.


2002–03 Nationalliga A, Nationalliga A, Champion Playoffs
The first eight teams of the regular season (or Qualification) competed in the Championship Playoff Round. They took half of the points (rounded up to complete units) gained in the Qualification as Bonus with them.


2002–03 Nationalliga A season
The 2002–03 NLA season was the 65th regular season of the Nationalliga A, the main professional ice hockey league in Switzerland.


2002–03 Nationalliga A season, Regular season, Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points;  PIM = Penalty Minutes


2002–03 Nationalliga A season, Playoffs, Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points;  PIM = Penalty Minutes


2002–03 Nemzeti Bajnokság I
The 2002–03 Nemzeti Bajnokság I, also known as NB I, was the 101st season of top-tier football in Hungary. The league was officially named Borsodi Liga for sponsoring reasons. The season started on 26 July 2002 and ended on 31 May 2003.


2002–03 Nemzeti Bajnokság I, Overview
It was contested by 12 teams, and MTK Hungária FC won the championship.


2002–03 Nemzeti Bajnokság I (men's handball), Regular season, Standings
Pld - Played; W - Won; L - Lost; PF - Points for; PA - Points against; Diff - Difference; Pts - Points.


2002–03 New Jersey Devils season
The 2002–03 New Jersey Devils season was the team's 21st season in the National Hockey League since the franchise relocated to New Jersey. After claiming the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference titles, the Devils won their third Stanley Cup championship in a seven-game series against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.


2002–03 New Jersey Devils season
In addition to the Devils reaching the Stanley Cup Finals, the other New Jersey team from one of the major professional sports leagues, the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA), have reached the NBA Finals where they lost in six games to the San Antonio Spurs.


2002–03 New Jersey Devils season, Regular season
The Devils tied the Philadelphia Flyers for fewest goals allowed (166) and had the fewest power-play opportunities against (264), the fewest power-play goals against (32) and the best penalty-kill percentage (87.88%). The Devils also tied the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and Washington Capitals for fewest short-handed goals allowed, with four. Furthermore, the Devils also had the fewest power-play opportunities for (303), the fewest power-play goals for (36) and the lowest power-play percentage, at 11.88%.


2002–03 New Jersey Devils season, Regular season, Season standings
Note: CR = Conference rank; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime loss; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points         Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.


2002–03 New Jersey Devils season, Regular season, Season standings
Divisions: AT – Atlantic, NE – Northeast, SE – Southeast


2002–03 New Jersey Devils season, Regular season, Season standings
P –  Clinched Presidents Trophy; Y –  Clinched Division; X –  Clinched Playoff spot


2002–03 New Jersey Devils season, Playoffs, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, (E2) New Jersey Devils vs. (E7) Boston Bruins
The series opened at Continental Airlines Arena in New Jersey, and game one was a defensive battle in an ultimate 2–1 Devils victory behind two goals from Jamie Langenbrunner. New Jersey then took control of the series with a 4–2 victory in Game 2.


2002–03 New Jersey Devils season, Playoffs, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, (E2) New Jersey Devils vs. (E7) Boston Bruins
Down 2–0 in the series but heading home to FleetCenter, Boston shook things up, replacing Steve Shields, who allowed six goals in the first two games, in favor of Jeff Hackett. The shakeup did not do much, as the Devils shut out in the Bruins in Game 3, 3–0, with goalie Martin Brodeur stopping all 29 shots he faced. In game 4, Ken Daneyko was a healthy scratch and did not play that game. It was the first time in his career that he was a healthy scratch in the playoffs. Not wanting to end their season with a winless postseason and a loss in front of their fans, Boston came out firing by winning the game, 5–1 and knocking out Brodeur after the fifth goal in favor of Corey Schwab, who went six-for-six in net.


2002–03 New Jersey Devils season, Playoffs, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, (E2) New Jersey Devils vs. (E7) Boston Bruins
Unfortunately for the Bruins and their fans, they had only "stayed their execution" until game five in New Jersey, where Brodeur bounced back from his horrid Game 4 with a 28-save shutout in a 3–0 win as Langenbrunner added two more goals.