Tampa Bay Buccaneers Legend Monte Kiffin Dies at 84

The former Bucs defensive coordinator was a progenitor of the Tampa 2 defense.

Jul 14, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers former defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin is entered into the Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Ring of Honor at AdventHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports / Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator and Bucs Ring of Honor member Monte Kiffin died at 84 years old on Thursday.

Ole Miss Football's X account announced Thursday that Kiffin had passed away surrounded by family and friends. Kiffin's son, Lane, currently serves as the head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels.

Kiffin is an NFL legend as well as a Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend for his innovations to defense in the sport. Kiffin was Tampa Bay's defense coordinator from 1996 to 2008 and was known for his contributions to the creation of the "Tampa 2" with head coach Tony Dungy. The Tampa 2 is a variant on Cover 2 defense, which is a 4-3 defense where the middle linebacker can drop into deep coverage if they read a pass play. That linebacker was Derrick Brooks for much of Kiffin's tenure, and the combination took the Bucs to multiple playoff appearances and a Super Bowl win in 2002.

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Many football legends, both affiliated with the Buccaneers and outside of that sphere, wrote statements in tribute to Kiffin and his contributions to the world of football. The Glazer family, who owns the Buccaneers, released a statement following his passing:

"Monte Kiffin was a beloved and iconic member of the Buccaneers family, and our entire organization mourns his loss today," the Glazers wrote. "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, and he was instrumental in our first Super Bowl win and the success of Hall of Famers such as Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Ronde Barber.

"Off the field, Monte was kind, genuine, gracious and always had a positive attitude. He was very special to the Buccaneers organization and our family. We send our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Robin, son, Lane, daughter, Heidi, and the entire Kiffin family."

Kiffin was inducted into Tampa Bay's Ring of Honor in 2021 and was honored with the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Awards for Excellence program in March.

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