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Monte Kiffin, Legendary NFL Coach and Architect of Tampa 2 Defense, Passes Away at 84
Monte Kiffin, noted for his defensive mindset and one of the top defensive coaches in the NFL, died at the age of 84, surrounded by his loved ones.
Monte Kiffin, one of the most influential defensive minds in football history and the father of Ole Miss Football coach Lane Kiffin, died on Thursday at the age of 84, according to an Ole Miss statement.
Throughout his more than 50 years as a coach in the NFL and collegiate leagues, Monte Kiffin was known as the greatest defensive mindset coach. He was one of the greatest defensive brains in football history, and he continues to have an impact today. Kiffin worked for his son in Oxford in his latter years, most recently as an analyst.
Monte Kiffin died in the company of his loved ones.
The University of Mississippi football team disclosed on the social media platform X that Kiffin, a former head coach at North Carolina State, died surrounded by family and friends in Oxford.
There is no information available to the public on the specific cause of Monte Kiffin's death. It was stressed in the message that he passed away peacefully with his loved ones by his side.
"As his grandson Knox said, he’s free of pain and smiling down on us from above. Please keep the Kiffin family in your thoughts and prayers during this time," the statement read.
Kiffin has been coaching in the NFL for nearly 30 years, making him the longest-tenured coach in Buccaneers history. He was with the Bucs from 1996 to 2008, under Tony Dungy (1996–2001) and Jon Gruden (2002–08), and is in the team's Ring of Honor.
Sapp was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1999, and Brooks won the award in 2002 when Tampa Bay had the league's best defense and destroyed the Oakland Raiders in the Super Bowl. All the above achievements came under the guidance of Monte.
During his time with the Bucs, the defense led the NFL in fewest points allowed per game (17.5), was second in takeaways (293) and yards allowed per game (286.8), third in interceptions (249), and tenth in sacks (503).
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Monte Kiffin’s Coaching Career
Monte Kiffin's coaching career began in 1966, with stints on eight NFL teams and seven collegiate teams, largely focusing on defensive strategies. Following his playing career, Kiffin became a graduate assistant at Nebraska, where he learned from Hall of Fame coaches Tom Osborne and Bob Devaney.
Within four years, he was hired as Nebraska's defensive coordinator in 1970 and worked his way up to become head coach at NC State from 1980 to 1982. Kiffin went 16–17 in his only three seasons as head coach. He subsequently moved on to teach linebackers for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League in 1983.
Kiffin spent 25 years in the NFL, working as a coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, the New Orleans Saints, and the Dallas Cowboys. He also worked as an assistant coach for the Packers, Bills, Vikings, Saints, and Jaguars.
His career is best known for his 12-year stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when he and Tony Dungy created the infamous "Tampa 2" defense. As the longest-tenured coach in team history, Kiffin's defensive units were consistently ranked among the best in the NFL.
The Buccaneers' owners, the Glazer family, conveyed their condolences, describing Kiffin as a "beloved and iconic member of the Buccaneers family."
Monte Kiffin spent the majority of his later years working for his son Lane Kiffin, first as defensive coordinator at Tennessee in 2009, then at USC from 2010 to 2012, and finally as a defensive analyst at FAU and Ole Miss, where he has been since Lane was named head coach in 2020.
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