Longtime NFL assistant coach Monte Kiffin, whose Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense was regularly rated as one of the league’s best, died Thursday. He was 84.
One of the architects of the highly successful Tampa 2 defensive scheme, Kiffin spent 13 seasons as the Bucks’ defensive coordinator under former head coaches Tony Dungy and John Gruden from 1996 to 2008, helping the team win the first of its two Super Bowl titles.
The All Miss football program announced via social media platform X that Kiffin died in Oxford, Mississippi, surrounded by family and friends. Kiffin’s son, Lane, currently serves as the Revells’ coach.
“As a coach, Monte brought out the best in his players and was a true innovator who helped build one of the premier defenses of the early 2000s,” the Glazer family, which owns the Buccaneers and inducted Kiffin into the team’s Hall of Fame three years ago, said in a statement.
“His passionate and energetic leadership style resonated with all of the players, and he was instrumental in our first Super Bowl win and the success of Hall of Famers Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Ronde Barber,” Glazer added. “Off the field, Monte was kind, genuine, gracious and always had a positive attitude. He was a very special addition to the Buccaneers organization and our family.”
Sapp was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1999, and Brooks earned the honor in 2002 when Tampa Bay led the league’s best defense to a crushing Super Bowl victory over the Oakland Raiders.
During his time 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).
The 2002 Bucs defense, led by Brooks, Sapp, Lynch, Barber and Simeon Rice, became the first team since the 1985 Super Bowl-winning Chicago Bears to lead the league in points allowed (196), yards allowed per game (252.8) and interceptions allowed (31) in the same season.
During a career that spanned more than 50 years, Kiffin also served as an NFL coach with the Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys.
After leaving the Bucks, he worked at colleges including Tennessee, USC, Florida Atlantic and Ole Miss, primarily for his son Lane.
Associated Press reports.
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