Monte Kiffin, one of football’s greatest defensive coordinators who shined at both the college and professional levels, passed away on Thursday, Ole Miss announced. He was 84.
Kiffin was with loved ones in Oxford, Miss. at the time of his death, the school revealed on X, the website formerly known as Twitter. He leaves behind his two sons, Lane and Chris, both of whom followed in their father’s footsteps to become coaches.
Kiffin was a defensive maven, noted for his creativity when crafting his side’s defensive playbook. He orchestrated some of the sport’s finest backlines, including the 2002 Buccaneers, winners of Super Bowl 37. Under Kiffin’s tutelage, Tampa surrendered just 12.3 points per game. No team has given up fewer points since.
“It’s not just he succeeded with the talent, but I think the talent succeeded mostly because of him,” NFL Hall of Fame defensive back Ronde Barber told the Tampa Bay Times. “Certainly, that was the case for me. I give all my credit to him for putting me in positions to have the career I had. And it wasn’t as if Monte was doing genius, revolutionary things. It was the way he approached coaching us with this attitude that if we all just did our job, the simple things, we’ll succeed.”
Here’s a look at Kiffin’s gridiron legacy, best encapsulated by his iconic Tampa 2 defense.
What is the Tampa 2 defense?
The Tampa 2 defense refers to Kiffin’s favorite defensive scheme, one he used to great effect during his 12-year tenure with the Buccaneers from 1996-2008.
With Kiffin steering the wheel, Tampa Bay opted to line up in a 4-3 setup. It wasn’t just a formation, but an ideology, with Kiffin (and his various disciples) prioritizing keeping scores at a minimum rather than limiting yardage. Kiffin sought out unique archetypes to fill his cavalry, with speedsters preferred over physical marvels. Ballhawks litter the field in a Tampa 2 approach. Take those ’02 Bucs, who were adorned by three All-Pro performers and four eventual Hall of Famers.
Tampa 2 didn’t start with Kiffin. It started as an offshoot of Tony Dungy’s preferred Cover 2 method, which was previously inspired by Pittsburgh’s vaunted Steel Curtain defense of the 1970s.
Nevertheless, Kiffin perfected it, and even after his departure from the professional game in 2016, the Tampa 2 has lingered, undergoing additional modifications to make it suitable for the modern game.
Where did Monte Kiffin coach?
At the time of his death, Kiffin was a few months removed from serving as a player personnel analyst at Ole Miss, the program that his eldest son, Lane, heads.
Kiffin wrote up tactics or coached specific positions for more than a dozen organizations, some in college (Nebraska, Arkansas, NC State, Tennessee, USC, FAU, Ole Miss), others at the professional level (Packers, Bills, Vikings, Jets, Saints, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Jaguars). He spent more time with the Buccaneers than any other school or franchise he worked for over the course of his career.
In addition to his defensive coordinating exploits, Kiffin also enjoyed a brief spell as a head coach. He helmed NC State from 1980-1982, going 16-17 across three seasons.
Monte Kiffin coaching tree
Kiffin’s sons represent just a portion of the coaches to have emerged from Monte’s famed coaching tree.
Mike Tomlin
- Experience: Pittsburgh Steelers, 2007-present
- Head coaching record: 181-110-2
Tomlin coached under Kiffin during his Buccaneers day, parlaying his success as a defensive backs coach into a head coaching gig with the Steelers in 2007. He hasn’t let go since, hoisting a Lombardi Trophy of his own (this time, as a head coach) in 2009. He’s the longest-tenured coach in the league, having trawled the sidelines in Pittsburgh for 16 (soon to be 17) seasons.
Rod Marinelli
- Experience: Detroit Lions, 2006-08
- Head coaching record: 10-38
Marinelli spent more than 40 seasons barking out instructions as a defensive dynamo. Tampa Bay represented his first foray into the professional game, with the then-47-year-old slotting into Kiffin’s staff as a defensive line coach.
After nine years with the Bucs, Marinelli earned his first head coaching gig with the Lions. It wasn’t a particularly productive tenure, as Marinelli won just 10 of his 48 games in charge, leading Detroit through its infamous winless season in 2008. Still, his stock around the league remained fairly high. He got jobs with five other NFL franchises after being dismissed as Lions boss.
Marinelli retired after the 2021 season.
Raheem Morris
- Experience: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2009-2011; Atlanta Falcons, 2024-present
- Head coaching record: 21-38
Morris represents one of Kiffin’s most recent success stories, having taken charge of the Falcons in 2024. He made his bones performing odd jobs in Kiffin’s staff during the early 2000s.
He eventually received the nod as Bucs’ head coach in 2009. It wasn’t a particularly fruitful experience; Tampa went 21-38 during Morris’ tenure.
Nevertheless, he’s viewed as one of football’s brightest minds, and after retiring to prominence as a defensive savant with the Falcons and Rams, Morris returned to the spotlight during the 2024 offseason.
Herm Edwards
- Experience: New York Jets, 2001-05; Kansas City Chiefs, 2006-08; Arizona State, 2018-2022
- Head coaching record: 54-74 (NFL), 18-20 (College)
Edwards just needed a chance to show he could make it as an NFL boss. He earned it after taking hold of Tampa Bay’s defensive backs room and turning it into one of the NFL’s best.
In 2001, he netted a head coaching job with the Jets. After four years in the Big Apple, he moved to Kansas City, where he spent an additional three seasons before getting the sack.
Edwards even nabbed a head coaching with Arizona State, although it ended in shambles with the NCAA shrouding the Sun Devils in penalties following alleged infractions by Edwards and his staff.
Gus Bradley
- Experience: Jacksonville Jaguars, 2013-16
- Head coaching record: 14-48
Bradley, much like many of Kiffin’s disciples, holds a defensive background, having developed as a burgeoning defensive mind on Kiffin’s Tampa Bay staff toward the end of his Buccaneers tenure.
In 2013, he became head coach of the Jaguars. Bradley fell victim to the same wretched fate as a great many Jacksonville coaches, failing to record a winning season (or anything close to it) in four seasons. He currently serves as the Colts’ defensive coordinator, a role he claimed in 2022.