Based on his Tampa Bay credentials alone, Monte Kiffin has had a fulfilling career as defensive coordinator. But his 20th season in the NFL, engineering the league’s top-rated defense was merely the last in a long list of career highlights.
In Kiffin’s seven-year tenure with the Buccaneers, the defense has produced 25 Pro Bowlers, has spent the last six years ranked in the top 10 in total defense and has the NFL’s longest active streak of at least one sack in 62 consecutive games.
Kiffin’s first NFL job was as linebackers coach under Bart Starr in Green Bay, followed by stints with Buffalo, Minnesota, the Jets and New Orleans.
Before joining the NFL, Kiffin’s long college career included stints on the national championship Nebraska teams of 1970 and 1971 and three years with Lou Holtz’s staff at Arkansas. Kiffin’s defense helped the Cornhuskers slow Oklahoma’s explosive wishbone in their epic 1971 “Game of the Century.”
“He’s one of those guys who endured the test of time in this league,” said Bucs linebacker Derrick Brooks. “He’s coached a lot of players and he’s been able to make adjustments and be successful wherever he’s coached.”
Kiffin forged a bond with Tony Dungy, who was on Dennis Green’s Vikings staff with Kiffin and brought him to Tampa to be defensive coordinator. But he also had a connection with Jon Gruden that few knew about.
“I have a condo down in St. Pete Beach, and Jon would come back in the summertime to visit his family there and we saw each other down on the beach when I was out jogging one day,” Kiffin said.
“That was a couple years ago, so the last two summers we’ve kind of hung out together. I love the guy. He’s awesome.”
Kiffin said after Dungy’s firing, Gruden was the only coach he thought of as a replacement.