Tampa Bay Buccaneers' legendary coach Monte Kiffin passes away at the age of 84

Kiffin started his football career as a player at the University of Nebraska in the mid-1960s, followed by a brief professional career that ended in 1966.  Kiffin then went on to become an assistant coach at his alma mater, where he remained through 1976.  He would become NC State's head coach in 1980, a position he held for three seasons in what would be his only head coaching job.

He moved onto the NFL in 1983, coaching linebackers for the Green Bay Packers.  After 13 seasons and 5 different teams - serving as linebackers coach or defensive coordinator among them - he joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the 1995 season.  

As Bucs fans know, the rest is history. 

Kiffin helped lead one of the greatest defenses in NFL history.  With his focus on speed and athleticism over size and strength, Kiffin's Tampa 2 defense was confounding to opposing offenses and offensive coordinators.  He coached some of the greatest players in the game in Hall of Famers Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, Ronde Barber, and John Lynch, among many other standouts.  

For 13 years, Kiffin guided the Bucs' defense to the greatest era in franchise history, crowned by one of the greatest defensive performances in Super Bowl history in the Bucs' 48-21 win over the Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII.  The Bucs' defense notched three pick sixes, the most in the history of the Super Bowl. 

Kiffin was enshrined in the Buccaneers' Ring of Honor on September 19, 2021, becoming the first Bucs assistant coach to see his name join the prestigious list of Tampa Bay greats.