The long time defensive coordinator and Ring of Honor member was 84 years old

Monte Kiffin, a legend in the world of Tampa Bay Bucs football, has passed away at 84 years old the family announced;

Kiffin, who coached in the NFL for the first time in 1991 then again from 1995 until 2008 then had one more year in 2013, was a mainstay in Tampa for thirteen seasons and was one of the best defensive coordinators in the league over that span.

Joining Tony Dungy’s Bucs in 1996, Kiffin was an integral part of the rise of the Bucs from the late 90’s into the early 2000’s. That was never more evident than on the stage of Super Bowl XXXVII when it was Kiffin’s defense that dominated the league’s top offense on the way to the Bucs’ first Lombardi trophy.

In twelve of his thirteen seasons as Tampa’s defensive coordinator, Kiffin’s defenses were top ten in points allowed. His defenses also had four top five finishes in takeaway-to-giveaway ratio.

The “Tampa 2” became one of the most effective and dominant defenses over that span and while the cover two defense had been around for decades, it was Kiffin and Dungy’s innovative tweaks to the classic alignment that made Kiffin a legend in the business.

Kiffin left the Bucs after the 2008 season to join his son, Lane, at the University of Tennessee before joining his son the following year at USC. Kiffin would return to the NFL in 2013 as the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive coordinator then an assistant head coach in 2014 before heading to Jacksonville as a defensive assistant in 2015. From there, Kiffin spent three years with Florida Atlantic before spending the last five years with Ole Miss as a defensive analyst.

Kiffin was inducted into the Bucs’ Ring of Honor in 2021, surrounded by Pro Football Hall of Famers that he coached in Tampa as well as other key members of the Super Bowl XXXVII champion roster.

In a statement issued by the team, the Glazer family said;

“Monte Kiffin was a beloved and iconic member of the Bucs family, and our entire organization mourns his loss today. 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. 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. Off the field, Monte was kind, genuine, gracious and always had a positive attitude. He was very special to the Bucs organization and our family. We send our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Robin, son, Lane, daughter, Heidi, and the entire Kiffin family.”

Eight of Kiffin’s Bucs players would go on to combine for 36 Pro Bowls, six All-Pro nods, and two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards.