2002 San Diego Chargers season


The 2002 season was the San Diego Chargers' 33rd in the National Football League, their 43rd overall and their first under head coach Marty Schottenheimer. Their stadium, Qualcomm Stadium, hosted Super Bowl XXXVII at the end of the season, but the Chargers' failure to secure a playoff berth marked the 18th straight season that the Super Bowl did not include the team in whose region the game was being played. Their division was reduced to four teams at the start of the season, with the Seattle Seahawks moving to the NFC. Despite going into their bye week at 6–1, the Chargers won just two of their nine games after the break and missed the playoffs.

Offseason

NFL Draft

Undrafted free agents

Personnel

Staff

Roster

Regular season

Schedule

In addition to their regular games with AFC West rivals, the Chargers played teams from the AFC East and NFC West as per the schedule rotation, and also played intraconference games against the Texans and the Bengals based on divisional positions from 2001.

Game summaries

Week 4: vs. New England Patriots

Week 9: vs. New York Jets

Week 12: at Miami Dolphins

Week 15: at Buffalo Bills

Standings

Playoffs

The Chargers did not make the playoffs, but they had a chance to clinch a wild card spot with victory over the Seahawks in Week 17, provided that the Browns lost to the Falcons; however, the Browns beat the Falcons, making the Chargers' loss to the Seahawks immaterial.