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2002 Off-season/Draft

The worst-kept secret in the building was that Jon Gruden and Al Davis couldn’t stand each other. Al thought Jon was a disrespectful punk, and Jon thought Al was an out-of-touch old man. But even though they hated each other, they did respect each other. It was a very strange relationship – but it worked. “Know When to Walk Away” by Rich Gannon.

It was left to me to figure out how to keep Jon in Oakland. Making the Super Bowl helped me and Rich convince Al Davis to keep Jon for one more year. Tampa came hot and heavy for Jon but Al listened to Rich when he begged Al to keep Jon around for 2002. “You Negotiate Like a Girl” by Amy Trash, CEO of the Raiders from 1997 to 2012. Published 2015

Now more than ever the NFL is a twelve-month sport. The off-season is a thing of the past, especially at the front office and ownership levels. Teams fire and hire coaches and assistants the day after their season ends, front offices are constantly evaluating players and wrangling with each other over draft picks and player rights. The league never rests.

Al Davis never liked Jon Gruden on a personal and schematic level, but he respected his coach’s work ethic and how his players would always play hard. The problem was that Gruden was set to be a free agent after the upcoming 2002 season and wanted a payday that was in line with his accomplishments as a head coach. Davis was loathe to pay that much for a coach, but he was also loathe to let a coach as accomplished as Gruden leave for nothing.

Tampa Bay had recently fired longtime coach Tony Dungy (who was quickly scooped up by the Indianapolis Colts) and looked towards Oakland for a replacement after Bill Parcells turned them down. Gruden’s counterpart across the Bay also turned down Tampa Bay as 49ers coach Steve Mariucci didn’t want to uproot his family and fly them cross country. Tampa was without a coach for about a month and was desperate for Gruden.

The problem – at least as far as Tampa Bay is concerned – is that Davis, despite his misgivings with Gruden, lived his life by one motto: “Just win, baby.” For all his “faults” real or imagined, Gruden had done just that. After a sit-down with Gruden, his agent, Davis, and Raiders CEO Amy Trask, the four came to an agreement: A two-year contract worth five million dollars, with three million of that due the first year. The second year was a mere formality, as Davis promised Gruden he’d either extend him outright or trade him after the 2002 season. Given Davis’s comments and track record, the chances he’d extend Gruden were nil.

The negotiation was like pulling teeth, but the four of us finally figured out a plan that was good for both Jon and the Raiders. Jon would coach in 2002 and afterwards he was a free man. Everyone in that room and in the organization knew that one way or another 2002 was the end of an era. Hopefully Gruden would go out with a bang. “You Negotiate Like a Girl” by Amy Trask.

With Gruden staying one more year in Oakland Tampa Bay still needed a coach. They interviewed two men – Rams defensive coordinator (and one of the heroes of the Super Bowl) Lovie Smith and Raiders offensive coordinator Bill Callahan. Deciding to go a different direction than the recently-fired Dungy, Tampa hired Bill Callahan as their next head coach. He’d inherit a roster with playmakers on both sides of the ball. Dungy had done a good job coaching up a defense that included future Hall-of-Famers in Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks, but the offense was inconsistent enough to get him fired. Callahan was brought in to fix that and get Tampa Bay to the next level.

Looking for some continuity, Gruden promoted his quarterbacks coach Marc Trestman to offensive coordinator. Trestman brought on freshly retired NFL quarterback Jim Harbaugh to be his quarterbacks coach. The most important move Callahan made in Tampa Bay was to keep defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin and his “Tampa 2” defense in place. After all, why fix what isn’t broken?

I liked working with Jim Harbaugh in 2002. He was a bit strange but he worked hard and we had a good rapport together. I can easily see how he’s been so successful in Chicago. I’d like to think I had something to do with that, but it was all Jim. “Know When to Walk Away” by Rich Gannon.

The Patriots decided to go all-in with Tom Brady, who despite his fumble in the playoffs had a very good season and a bright future. New England traded away former franchise quarterback Drew Bledsoe to New Orleans for a 2003 first round pick.

2002 NFL Draft

David Carr and Julius Peppers were projected to go 1-2 and that’s exactly what they did. Carr was the first pick for the brand-new Houston Texans while Peppers was staying in North Carolina and joining new coach John Fox on the Panthers.

Other notable picks late in the first round included Tampa Bay snagging Florida State wideout Javon Walker, pairing him with Keyshawn Johnson, Green Bay taking cornerback Mike Rumph, and Chicago picking up Lito Sheppard to bolster their secondary. Baltimore and New England made a trade late in the first round. Baltimore moved back two spots and took Boston College tackle Marc Colombo, who had a very good career anchoring the right side of their line. As far as New England, their pick would go on to be a household name.

We have a trade to report here on ESPN. Looks like Baltimore and New England are making a move. Baltimore is trading back two spots from 24 to 26 and in return getting a 3rd this year and a 5th in 2003 for their troubles. Chris Berman, 2002 NFL Draft

With the 24th pick in the 2002 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots select Ed Reed, Safety from the University of Miami. Paul Tagliabue, NFL Commissioner, at the 2002 NFL Draft.

I like this pick for New England a lot. They paid a price to move up, but they get a guy who made a TON of plays in Miami. Every time the Hurricanes needed a play, Reed stepped up. The guy has a nose for the ball and I’m eager to see how Bill Belichick lines him up this season. Mel Kiper, ESPN Draft Analyst, during the 2002 NFL Draft.