Monte Kiffin died Thursday at 84, but his impact on the game of football will not die soon.
Ole Miss, where Kiffin worked as an analyst for his son Lane, said Monte died in Oxford, Miss., surrounded by family and friends. Lane paid tribute to his father on X and called him “My hero.”
My Hero 💜♥️ @NCStateFB @Vikings pic.twitter.com/gHPAbrUQF1
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) July 11, 2024
Kiffin may have been the Bill Belichick of assistant coaches — irrefutably one of history’s greatest. He was an NFL assistant for 29 years, but he is celebrated mostly for the 13 years he presided over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense and dominated with a scheme now called the Tampa 2.
The Tampa 2 was a modification of the Cover 2, which had its origins in Pittsburgh with the Steelers’ Steel Curtain. Tony Dungy learned the defense as a player and coach with the Steelers in the late 1970s and early 80s. Dungy worked with Kiffin on the Minnesota Vikings staff in the early 90s, and when Dungy was hired as the Bucs’ head coach in 1996, he hired Kiffin as his defensive coordinator.
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At the time, Kiffin was a longtime NFL linebackers coach after being dismissed as the head coach at North Carolina State after going 16-17 in three seasons.
With the Bucs, Kiffin and Dungy tweaked their scheme, often dropping the middle linebacker, emphasizing takeaways and adopting a bend but don’t break philosophy.
With future hall of famers Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Ronde Barber, Kiffin smothered offenses over an extended period.
In 1999, they held opponents to a franchise-record 228 first downs. The following season, they set another team record with 55 sacks. In 2002, Kiffin’s Buccaneers led the league in points allowed, yards allowed and interceptions, becoming the first team to do so since the 1985 Chicago Bears.
The Bucs won the Super Bowl that season, and Kiffin was voted Assistant Coach of the Year. He became the highest-paid assistant coach in the NFL and later was the highest-paid assistant in college football.
“Monte Kiffin was a beloved and iconic member of the Buccaneers family, and our entire organization mourns his loss today,” said the Glazer Family, owners of the Buccaneers, in a statement. “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. … Off the field, Monte was kind, genuine, gracious and always had a positive attitude.”
Rest in peace, Monte Kiffin.
Your legacy will live on forever in Tampa Bay. ♥️ pic.twitter.com/6Ac05YuMYd
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) July 11, 2024
The Buccaneers inducted Kiffin into their Ring of Honor in 2021, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame gave him the Award for Excellence in the category of assistant coaches in March.
Kiffin served as an assistant coach for his son Lane on three teams — USC, Florida Atlantic and Ole Miss. Lane remains the head coach at Ole Miss, and another son, Chris Kiffin, is the linebackers coach of the Houston Texans.
Kiffin’s Tampa 2 defense remains a staple of football teams at every level.
(Photo of Monte Kiffin being inducted into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor in 2021: Kim Klement / USA Today)
