2002 Miami Dolphins season

The 2002 season was the Miami Dolphins' 33rd in the National Football League (NFL), their 37th overall and their third under head coach Dave Wannstedt. The Dolphins failed to improve upon their previous season's output of 11–5, winning only nine games.[1] The team missed the playoffs for the first time since 1996.

2002 Miami Dolphins season
OwnerWayne Huizenga
Head coachDave Wannstedt
Home fieldPro Player Stadium
Results
Record9–7
Division place3rd AFC East
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro BowlersDT Tim Bowens
CB Sam Madison
FS Brock Marion
CB Patrick Surtain
DE Jason Taylor
LB Zach Thomas
RB Ricky Williams
AP All-ProsCB Patrick Surtain (1st team)
DE Jason Taylor (1st team)
LB Zach Thomas (1st team)
RB Ricky Williams (1st team)

In the off-season, the Dolphins acquired running back Ricky Williams from the New Orleans Saints. Despite the team not making the playoffs, he led the league with a career-high 16 rushing touchdowns. Williams made the Pro Bowl following the season, taking home the game's MVP honors. It was Williams' only Pro Bowl appearance of his career.

Offseason

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NFL draft

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2002 Miami Dolphins draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
3 90 Seth McKinney  Center Texas A&M
4 114 Randy McMichael  Tight end Georgia
5 161 Omare Lowe  Cornerback Washington
      Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Undrafted free agents

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2002 undrafted free agents of note
Player Position College
Zak Kustok Quarterback Northwestern

Staff

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2002 Miami Dolphins staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning


Roster

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2002 Miami Dolphins roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams

Practice squad

Reserve

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

Regular season

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Schedule

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Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
1 September 8 Detroit Lions W 49–21 1–0 Pro Player Stadium 72,216
2 September 15 at Indianapolis Colts W 21–13 2–0 RCA Dome 56,650
3 September 22 New York Jets W 30–3 3–0 Pro Player Stadium 73,426
4 September 29 at Kansas City Chiefs L 30–48 3–1 Arrowhead Stadium 78,178
5 October 6 New England Patriots W 26–13 4–1 Pro Player Stadium 73,369
6 October 13 at Denver Broncos W 24–22 5–1 Invesco Field at Mile High 75,941
7 October 20 Buffalo Bills L 10–23 5–2 Pro Player Stadium 73,180
8 Bye
9 November 4 at Green Bay Packers L 10–24 5–3 Lambeau Field 63,284
10 November 10 at New York Jets L 10–13 5–4 Giants Stadium 78,920
11 November 17 Baltimore Ravens W 26–7 6–4 Pro Player Stadium 73,013
12 November 24 San Diego Chargers W 30–3 7–4 Pro Player Stadium 73,138
13 December 1 at Buffalo Bills L 21–38 7–5 Ralph Wilson Stadium 73,287
14 December 9 Chicago Bears W 27–9 8–5 Pro Player Stadium 73,609
15 December 15 Oakland Raiders W 23–17 9–5 Pro Player Stadium 73,572
16 December 21 at Minnesota Vikings L 17–20 9–6 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,285
17 December 29 at New England Patriots L 24–27 (OT) 9–7 Gillette Stadium 68,436

Game summaries

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Week 1: vs. Detroit Lions

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Week 1: Detroit Lions at Miami Dolphins
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Lions 0 7 7721
Dolphins 7 21 14749

at Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Game information

Week 2: at Indianapolis Colts

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Week 2: Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Dolphins 14 7 0021
Colts 0 3 01013

at RCA Dome, Indianapolis, Indiana

Game information

Week 3: vs. New York Jets

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Week 3: New York Jets at Miami Dolphins
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Jets 0 3 003
Dolphins 10 3 01730

at Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Game information

Week 4: at Kansas City Chiefs

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Week 4: Miami Dolphins at Kansas City Chiefs
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Dolphins 7 9 7730
Chiefs 10 14 71748

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Game information

Week 5: vs. New England Patriots

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Week 5: New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Patriots 0 0 6713
Dolphins 6 10 7326

at Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

  • Date: October 6, 2002
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Sunny, 86 °F (30 °C)
  • Game attendance: 73,369
  • Referee: Terry McAulay (77)
  • TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Phil Simms, Armen Keteyian
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 6: at Denver Broncos

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Week 6: Miami Dolphins at Denver Broncos
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Dolphins 0 7 01724
Broncos 6 3 31022

at Invesco Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado

Game information

Week 7: vs. Buffalo Bills

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Week 7: Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Bills 3 14 3323
Dolphins 7 3 0010

at Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Game information

Week 9: at Green Bay Packers

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Week 9: Miami Dolphins at Green Bay Packers
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Dolphins 0 0 01010
Packers 0 14 10024

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Game information

Week 10: at New York Jets

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Week 10: Miami Dolphins at New York Jets
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Dolphins 0 3 7010
Jets 7 3 0313

at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

  • Date: November 10, 2002
  • Game time: 8:30 p.m.
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 65 °F (18 °C)
  • Game attendance: 78,920
  • Referee: Larry Nemmers (20)
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Patrick, Paul Maguire, Joe Theismann, and Suzy Kolber
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 11: vs. Baltimore Ravens

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Week 11: Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Ravens 0 7 007
Dolphins 7 10 3626

at Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

  • Date: November 17, 2002
  • Game time: 4:15 p.m.
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 68 °F (20 °C)
  • Game attendance: 73,013
  • Referee: Walt Coleman (65)
  • TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Randy Cross, Beasley Reece
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 12: vs. San Diego Chargers

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Week 12: San Diego Chargers at Miami Dolphins
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Chargers 3 0 003
Dolphins 10 10 7330

at Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

  • Date: November 24, 2002
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Sunny, 77 °F (25 °C)
  • Game attendance: 73,138
  • Referee: Jeff Triplette (42)
  • TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Phil Simms, Armen Keteyian
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 13: at Buffalo Bills

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Week 13: Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Dolphins 14 0 7021
Bills 3 14 14738

at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

Game information

Week 14: vs. Chicago Bears

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Week 14: Chicago Bears at Miami Dolphins
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Bears 0 0 369
Dolphins 7 7 7627

at Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

  • Date: December 9, 2002
  • Game time: 9:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Cloudy, Rain, 72 °F (22 °C)
  • Game attendance: 73,609
  • Referee: Ron Blum (7)
  • TV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels, John Madden and Melissa Stark
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 15: vs. Oakland Raiders

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

at Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

  • Date: December 15, 2002
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Sunny, 66 °F (19 °C)
  • Game attendance: 73,572
  • Referee: Terry McAulay (77)
  • TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Phil Simms, Armen Keteyian
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 16: at Minnesota Vikings

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Week 16: Miami Dolphins at Minnesota Vikings
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Dolphins 7 0 7317
Vikings 0 3 71020

at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota

  • Date: December 21, 2002
  • Game time: 1:30 p.m.
  • Game weather: none (indoor stadium)
  • Game attendance: 64,285
  • Referee: Johnny Grier (23)
  • TV announcers (CBS): Dick Enberg, Dan Dierdorf, Bonnie Bernstein
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 17: at New England Patriots

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Week 17: Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots
Quarter 1 2 34OTTotal
Dolphins 7 14 03024
Patriots 0 10 311327

at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

  • Date: December 29, 2002
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Partly cloudy, 40 °F (4 °C)
  • Game attendance: 68,436
  • Referee: Bob McElwee (95)
  • TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Phil Simms, Armen Keteyian
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Standings

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AFC East
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(4) New York Jets 9 7 0 .563 4–2 6–6 359 336 W2
New England Patriots 9 7 0 .563 4–2 6–6 381 346 W1
Miami Dolphins 9 7 0 .563 2–4 7–5 378 301 L2
Buffalo Bills 8 8 0 .500 2–4 5–7 379 397 W1

References

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