Monte Kiffin, the longtime, legendary NFL and college assistant coach whose Tampa Bay defenses are routinely recognized and ranked among the league’s best in NFL history, died Thursday. He was 84.
One of the creators of the overwhelmingly successful shutdown “Tampa 2” defensive scheme, Kiffin spent 13 seasons as defensive coordinator of the Buccaneers under former coaches Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden from 1996 to 2008 and helped the franchise win the first of its two Super Bowl titles against the Oakland Raiders, with Gruden on the other sideline.
The Old Miss football program announced on its social media platform that Kiffin, once the head coach at North Carolina State, died surrounded by family and loved ones in Oxford, Mississippi, where Kiffin’s son, Lane, is the current coach of the Rebels.
“As a coach, Monte was a true innovator who got the best out of his players and helped create one of the signature defenses of the early 2000s,” the Glazer family, which owns the Buccaneers and inducted Kiffin into the franchises Ring of Honor three years ago, said in a statement.
“His passionate and energetic leadership style resonated with all his players, and he was instrumental in our first Super Bowl win and the success of Hall of Famers such as Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Ronde Barber,” the Glazers added. “Off the field, Monte was kind, genuine, gracious and always had a positive attitude. He was very special to the Buccaneers organization and our family.”
Embed from Getty ImagesSapp was an absolute monster on the gridiron and was voted NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1999 and Brooks earned the honor in 2002, when Buccaneers owned the league’s top-ranked defense and dominated the Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII.
During his tenure with the Bucs, Tampa Bay’s defense led the NFL in fewest points allowed per game (17.5), ranked second in takeaways (293) and yards allowed per game (286.8), third in interceptions (249) and 10th in sacks (503).
With players such as Brooks, Sapp, Lynch, Barber and Simeon Rice captaining the ship, the 2002 Bucs defense became the first unit since the 1985 Super Bowl-winning Chicago Bears under Buddy Ryan, to lead the league in fewest points allowed (196), yards allowed per game (252.8), and interceptions (31) in the same season.
Born and raised in Lexington, Nebraska, Kiffin went on to play tackle at the University of Nebraska and was a defensive assistant under Bob Devaney for the Cornhuskers’ 1970 and 1971 undefeated national championship teams.
In a career that spanned for more than 50 years, Kiffin made the rounds in both college and pro football. He worked at Arkansas and as an NFL assistant for the Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys.
After departing from the Buccaneers, he mostly worked for his son, Lane, in college stops at Tennessee Volunteers, Southern California (USC Trojans), Florida Atlantic Owls and Ole Miss Rebels.
Monte Kiffin’s other son, Chris, has been a coach for the Rebels and in the NFL. Monte and his wife, Robin, also have a daughter, Heidi.
