2002 San Francisco 49ers season

2002 San Francisco 49ers season
OwnerDenise DeBartolo York and John York
General managerTerry Donahue
Head coachSteve Mariucci
Offensive coordinatorGreg Knapp
Defensive coordinatorJim L. Mora
Home field3Com Park
Results
Record10–6
Division place1st NFC West
Playoff finishWon Wild Card Playoffs
(vs. Giants) 39–38
Lost Divisional Playoffs
(at Buccaneers) 6–31
Pro BowlersQB Jeff Garcia
WR Terrell Owens
G Ron Stone
C Jeremy Newberry
DT Bryant Young
LB Julian Peterson
AP All-ProsWR Terrell Owens (1st team)
RB Fred Beasley (2nd team)
LB Julian Peterson (2nd team)

The 2002 San Francisco 49ers season was the team's 57th season, and 53rd in the National Football League (NFL) and the sixth and final under head coach Steve Mariucci.

The first season following divisional realignment, the 49ers won the new-look NFC West title with a 10–6 record; they swept their new division rivals, the Seattle Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals while splitting with the St. Louis Rams. In the Wild Card round, the 49ers fell behind the New York Giants 38–14 but erupted with 25 unanswered points and survived a chaotic last-second field goal attempt by the Giants; the 39–38 win was the 26th playoff win in the team's history and as of 2019, it is the fourth biggest comeback in NFL playoff history. The 49ers lost the next week in the divisional round to the eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31–6 and head coach Steve Mariucci was fired, the result of a power struggle with owner John York and new general manager Terry Donahue. 2002 was the last winning season for the 49ers until 2011.