Monte Kiffin, former NFL coach and father of Lane Kiffin, dies at 84

Photo courtesy: Ole Miss Athletics

Monte Kiffin, a former NFL and college football coach and the father of Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, died on Thursday. Ole Miss released a statement announcing the news.

Kiffin’s coaching career started in 1966 at Nebraska, where he worked as a graduate assistant. He worked his way up to becoming Nebraska’s defensive coordinator from 1969 through 1976. Kiffin helped lead the Cornhuskers to two national championships in 1970 and 1971.

After spending three seasons as NC State’s head football coach in the early-80s, Kiffin served as defensive coordinator for multiple NFL teams. Most notably the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996-2008, who won the Super Bowl in 2002 thanks to his iconic “Tampa 2” defense.

Monte worked on Lane’s staff from 2020 through the 2023 season as a player personnel analyst.

He was 84.