Monte Kiffin, a longtime coach in the NFL and college football known for his defensive prowess, passed away on Thursday at the age of 84.
He was a key figure in developing the highly successful Tampa 2 defensive strategy and served as defensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for 13 seasons from 1996 to 2008 under coaches Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden. During his tenure, the Bucs won their first two Super Bowl titles.
The University of Mississippi football program, where his son Lane Kiffin coaches, announced Monte Kiffin’s passing in Oxford, Mississippi, surrounded by loved ones.
“Monte was a true innovator as a coach, bringing out the best in his players and helping to create one of the standout defenses of the early 2000s,” said the Glazer family, owners of the Buccaneers, who honored Kiffin by inducting him into the team’s Ring of Honor three years ago.
“His passionate leadership inspired all his players and was instrumental in our Super Bowl victories and the success of Hall of Famers like Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch, and Ronde Barber,” the Glazers added.
Sapp was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1999, and Brooks received the same honor in 2002, a season when Tampa Bay boasted the league’s top-ranked defense and dominated in the Super Bowl against the Oakland Raiders.
Under Kiffin’s guidance, the Buccaneers’ defense was among the best in the NFL, leading in fewest points allowed per game (17.5), ranking second in takeaways (293) and yards allowed per game (286.8), third in interceptions (249), and tenth in sacks (503).
