The 2002 Eastern Illinois Panthers represented Eastern Illinois University in the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Finishing the regular season with a record of 8–3, the panthers were invited to the I-AA (now FCS) playoffs, falling in the first round to Western Illinois by a final of 9–48. Quarterback Tony Romo's efforts earned him mass attention including making him the 2002 recipient of the Walter Payton Award. Despite not being selected at the 2003 NFL draft. Romo eventually signed with the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent, eventually landing the starting job in 2006, racking up four Pro Bowl Selections until his retirement in 2016.