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