Monte Kiffin, college and NFL coaching legend, dead at 84

Longtime football coach and innovative defensive mind Monte Kiffin died on Thursday, the University of Mississippi announced. 

He was 84.

Kiffin, the father of Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, died peacefully in Oxford surrounded by family, per a statement from the school. 

“As his grandson Knox said, he’s free of pain and smiling down on us from above,” a post from the Ole Miss football team read. “Please keep the Kiffin family in your thoughts and prayers during this time.”

On Thursday morning, Lane posted two photos of himself during his childhood with his father with the caption: “My hero” with two heart emojis.

The elder Kiffin, who had a brief professional career as a player, coached in both the college and NFL ranks for over five decades, most notably as a defensive coordinator for 13 seasons with the Buccaneers in the late 1990s and early 2000s, winning the Super Bowl in 2002. 

He is credited with helping develop the “Tampa 2″ defensive scheme alongside former head coach Tony Dungy, a defense that helped propel the Bucs to their Super Bowl win.

The franchise also posted a heartfelt message on X after news of his passing. 

“Monte Kiffin was a beloved and iconic member of the Buccaneers 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,” the Bucs’ statement said.

Kiffin also served as a defensive coordinator in the NFL for the Vikings, Saints and Cowboys. 

In the college game, Kiffin was the head coach of North Carolina State from 1980-82 after serving as a defensive coordinator for Nebraska and Arkansas. 

He would return to college football in 2009, joining Tennessee as a defensive coordinator under his head coaching son, Lane, before moving with him to USC in 2010 until 2012. 

Kiffin most recently served as player personnel analyst for Ole Miss.