Lane Kiffin’s Emotional Tribute to His Superhero Father, Monte Kiffin
The normally brash and outspoken Lane Kiffin, head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels, took the stage at SEC Media Days on Monday with a heavy heart. Just days earlier, on July 11th, Kiffin had lost his father, Monte Kiffin, a legendary defensive coordinator and one of the most respected minds in football.
In an emotional tribute, Kiffin opened his remarks by honoring the life and legacy of his “superhero” father. [1][2][3]
“The first rule of getting better was you gotta show up, show up and do your job. And that’s what I’m trying to do here,” Kiffin said, referencing the mantra Monte Kiffin had instilled in his players throughout his illustrious coaching career. [3]
Monte Kiffin, who passed away at the age of 84, was a true giant of the game. He spent over 50 years coaching at the college and professional levels, serving as the architect of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ vaunted “Tampa 2” defense that led the team to a Super Bowl championship in 2002. [2][3]
But to Lane Kiffin, Monte was more than just a legendary coach – he was a “superhero” who touched the lives of countless players, coaches, and staff members over the decades. [3]
“I’ve talked before about him being my hero. I had a middle school friend,” Kiffin recalled. “And he said hero is not really the right term for (Monte). It’s superhero. That’s what he was to the people that he touched.” [3]
Kiffin went on to describe his father as someone who “loved everyone and tried to help everyone they came in touch with forever. Whether you were big or small, whatever you were, he tried to help.” [3]
The outpouring of support from the Oxford and Ole Miss communities, as well as from former players and coaches across the country, has been a testament to the profound impact Monte Kiffin had on the game of football. [3]
“It’s been an amazing outpouring of support, of stories from former players, former coaches and especially former staff of people in the building and how many friends came out of that in the Bucs community and family,” Kiffin said. [3]
While Kiffin acknowledged that SEC Media Days was not the appropriate setting to delve deeper into his father’s passing, he did share that a celebration of life is scheduled for this Saturday in Largo, Florida, where Monte Kiffin had lived in retirement. [3]
The loss of his father has undoubtedly been a difficult and emotional experience for Kiffin, but he has vowed to honor Monte’s legacy by continuing to “show up and do [his] job” as the head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels. [3]
“That was the doctrine Monte Kiffin asked his players to live by, and it’s what Lane Kiffin did on Monday when he took the stage at SEC Media Days following his father’s death,” the article notes. [3]
Kiffin’s tribute to his father was a poignant reminder of the profound impact that coaches can have on the lives of their players and the broader community. Monte Kiffin was not just a legendary defensive coordinator, but a mentor, a friend, and a “superhero” to all those he encountered.
As the Ole Miss Rebels prepare for the upcoming season, Lane Kiffin will undoubtedly carry the memory of his father with him, drawing inspiration from Monte’s unwavering commitment to the game and his dedication to helping others. [1][2][3]
The loss of Monte Kiffin is a profound one for the football community, but his legacy will live on through the countless lives he touched, including that of his son, Lane. In honoring his father’s memory, Lane Kiffin has shown that true leadership is not just about X’s and O’s, but about the ability to inspire and uplift those around you.