Monte Kiffin, the longtime NFL and college assistant coach whose Tampa Bay defenses routinely ranked among the league’s best, died Thursday. He was 84.

One of the architects of the ultra successful Tampa 2 defensive scheme, Kiffin spent 13 seasons as defensive coordinator of the Bucs under former coaches Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden from 1996 to 2008 and helped the franchise win the first of its two Super Bowl titles.

Ole Miss announced that Kiffin, once the head coach at North Carolina State, died surrounded by family and friends in Oxford, Mississippi, where Kiffin’s son, Lane, is coach of the Rebels.

"I try to be more like him every year," Lane Kiffin said of his father in 2023. "I think he’s an amazing person when it comes to relationships with the other coaches and players and developing them off the field. I just know all of the former players that I know, the way that they talk about him.

"He’s left a legacy and touched a lot of people."

Monte Kiffin worked for Lane at Tennessee, Southern Cal, FAU and Ole Miss. He lived in Oxford for much of his son's tenure. Lane Kiffin is entering his fifth season with the Rebels.

“As a coach, Monte was a true innovator who got the best out of his players and helped create one of the signature defenses of the early 2000s,” the Glazer family, which owns the Buccaneers and inducted Kiffin into the team’s Ring of Honor three years ago, said in a statement.

“His passionate and energetic leadership style resonated with all his players, and he was instrumental in our first Super Bowl win and the success of Hall of Famers such as Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Ronde Barber,” the Glazers added. “Off the field, Monte was kind, genuine, gracious and always had a positive attitude. He was very special to the Buccaneers organization and our family.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report