Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images
Well deserved for everyone’s favorite defensive coach.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced today that former defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin will become the 14th inductee into the club’s prestigious Ring of Honor. The date for the induction ceremony will be set once the 2020 NFL schedule is announced in the spring.
Kiffin ranks as the longest-tenured coach in Buccaneers franchise history, having spent 13 seasons with the organization from 1996-2008 under head coaches and fellow Ring of Honor members Tony Dungy (1996-2001) and Jon Gruden (2002-08).
Buccaneers Owner/Co-Chairman Bryan Glazer said: “Monte Kiffin’s contributions to building and sustaining one of the most dominant defenses in NFL history were crucial to our franchise’s most successful era. Monte worked closely with Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden using his signature defense that became the team’s identity and was a key part of winning the Super Bowl. He was an outstanding coach, teacher and leader who consistently got the best out of his players and we eagerly anticipate welcoming him into our Ring of Honor this upcoming season.”
Kiffin joined Dungy’s coaching staff as defensive coordinator in 1996 and immediately began the process of overhauling the Buccaneers’ defense. Kiffin’s unit improved from 27th overall the year prior to his arrival to 11th following that first season.
Working alongside Dungy, he helped create and implement the ‘Tampa 2’ defensive scheme that eventually propelled the Buccaneers to their victory in Super Bowl XXXVII. During Kiffin’s 13 seasons leading Tampa Bay’s defense, the unit ranked in the top 10 in yards allowed 11 times and in points allowed 12 times. During that same 13-year span, the defense led the league in points allowed per game (17.5), ranked second in takeaways (293) and yards allowed per game (286.8), third in interceptions (249) and 10th in total sacks (503).
Kiffin’s units are among the most accomplished in team history. In 1999, the Buccaneers’ defense, led by eventual AP Defensive Player of the Year Warren Sapp, held opponents to a franchise record low of only 228 first downs on the way to an appearance in the NFC Championship Game. In 2000, Tampa Bay’s 55 sacks established another team record.
In 2002, Kiffin was named the Assistant Coach of the Year by both Football Digest and the Pro Football Writers Association after his defensive unit became the first since the 1985 Chicago Bears to lead the league in points allowed (196), yards allowed per game (252.8) and interceptions (31). The 196 points allowed remains the fewest in a single season in team history and the fifth-fewest allowed in a 16-game season in NFL history.
Under Kiffin’s leadership, eight different Buccaneers defensive players made a combined 36 Pro Bowl appearances, while six also earned All-Pro team recognition. In addition to Sapp, Derrick Brooks also earned AP Defensive Player of the Year, following the 2002 season.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS RING OF HONOR INDUCTEES
Lee Roy Selmon (2009)
John McKay (2010)
Jimmie Giles (2011)
Paul Gruber (2012)
Warren Sapp (2013)
Derrick Brooks (2014)
Mike Alstott (2015)
Doug Williams (2015)
John Lynch (2016)
Malcolm Glazer (2017)
Jon Gruden (2017)
Tony Dungy (2018)
Ronde Barber (2019)
Monte Kiffin (2020)
(Courtesy of the Buccaneers Communications Department.)
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