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Offseason | 2024

Coaching legend, former Cowboys DC Monte Kiffin passes away

Jul 11, 2024 at 08:46 PM

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Nick Eatman

DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer / Senior Manager, Digital Media

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One of the greatest defensive minds in NFL history has passed away on Thursday.

Monte Kiffin, who coached in the league for nearly 30 years, including a stint with the Cowboys, died at the age of 84.

The news was announced Thursday by Ole Miss, where his son Lane Kiffin is currently the head coach.

Kiffin spent the 2013 season as the defensive coordinator as part of Jason Garrett's staff. The Cowboys finished 8-8 that year and missed the playoffs on the final week of the season. Kiffin was also on the Cowboys staff in 2014 under new DC Rod Marinelli.

Kiffin is known more for his 13 years with the Buccaneers, where he teamed up with Tony Dungy to create the vaunted "Tampa 2" scheme that helped the Bucs win their first Super Bowl after the 2002 season.

He got into the NFL in 1983 as a linebackers coach for the Packers, who became the first of nine different NFL teams to put Kiffin on the coaching staff. He also coached for the Bills, Vikings, Jets, Saints, Titans and Jaguars.

Kiffin also spent time on USC's staff with his son Lane, and most recently as a consultant at Ole Miss.

Before his NFL days, Kiffin coached at Nebraska, Arkansas and North Carolina State, where he was the head coach from 1980-82.

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