Monte Kiffin, who coached with eight NFL teams and seven college teams throughout his career, served as linebackers coach for the Green Bay Packers in 1983 under head coach Bart Starr. This marked Kiffin’s NFL coaching debut and coincided with Starr’s final year as head coach before Kiffin moved to the Buffalo Bills the following season.
During his career, Kiffin contributed to three championship teams, including the undefeated Nebraska Cornhuskers of 1970 and 1971, who were voted NCAA champions, and the Super Bowl XXXVII-winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
His most extended tenure spanned 13 years with the Buccaneers under head coaches Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden. Kiffin was renowned for developing the highly successful Tampa 2 defensive scheme, which propelled the Buccaneers to have the league’s top defense during their Super Bowl-winning season, limiting opponents to just 12.3 points per game.
In his later career, Kiffin served as a defensive assistant at Florida Atlantic University from 2017 to 2019 and worked as a player personnel analyst at the University of Mississippi from 2020 to 2023.
A Nebraska native, Kiffin played college football as an offensive and defensive tackle at the University of Nebraska. Although drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the 15th round of the 1964 NFL draft, he played professionally for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the CFL in 1965 and for the Toronto Rifles and Brooklyn Dodgers in the Continental Football League in 1966.
Kiffin began his coaching journey in 1966 as a graduate assistant at Nebraska, eventually becoming the defensive coordinator in 1969. His leadership helped Nebraska achieve a remarkable 24-0-1 record and secure two national championships in 1970 and 1971.
Monte Kiffin’s legacy extends beyond his coaching achievements; his son, Lane Kiffin, currently serves as the head coach at the University of Mississippi, while another son, Chris Kiffin, has also coached for various college and NFL teams.