Mississippi sports mourns death of Monte Kiffin — NFL coaching great, father of Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin

Monte Kiffin, a revered NFL and college assistant coach, passed away at the age of 84 on Thursday. Despite his numerous coaching achievements, his most significant impact was on the life of his son, Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin.

According to Ole Miss Athletics, Monte Kiffin died in Oxford surrounded by family and friends. Lane Kiffin shared a heartfelt tribute on X, posting two childhood photos with his father and a simple message: “My Hero.”

Monte Kiffin is celebrated as one of the greatest defensive coordinators in NFL history. He spent three decades as an NFL assistant coach, including 13 years as the defensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Glazer Family, owners of the Buccaneers, praised Kiffin’s passionate and energetic leadership, crediting him with their first Super Bowl victory and the success of Hall of Famers like Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch, and Ronde Barber.

In his 25-year NFL career, Kiffin also served as a coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, and Dallas Cowboys. In March, he was honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame through its Awards for Excellence program.

Kiffin began his coaching career in 1966 as a graduate assistant at Nebraska, learning under Hall of Famers Tom Osborne and Bob Devaney. By 1970, he was Nebraska’s defensive coordinator, and he later became the head coach at NC State from 1980 to 1982. His NFL journey started in 1983 as a linebackers coach with the Green Bay Packers.

In his later years, Monte worked alongside Lane Kiffin, first as the defensive coordinator at Tennessee in 2009, then at USC from 2010 to 2012, and finally as a defensive analyst at FAU and Ole Miss since Lane became head coach in 2020.

Monte Kiffin is survived by his wife, Robin, and his children, Heidi, Chris, and Lane.