The NFL mourns the loss of Monte Kiffin. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator revolutionized defensive thinking in the league

Monte Kiffin, one of the most important defensive coordinators in NFL history, has died. College Ole Miss announced that Kiffin died Thursday at the age of 84 in the presence of his family.

Monte Kiffin’s son, Lane Kiffin, is currently the head coach at the prestigious University of Mississippi. His father assisted him in recent years as a defensive analyst.

Monte Kiffin experienced his most successful time as defensive coordinator with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers between 1996 and 2008, when he permanently secured his place in NFL history.

During this time, he revolutionized defensive thinking in the league, and his “Tampa 2” scheme not only led to the 2003 Super Bowl victory, but was copied by numerous teams throughout the league.

“The defense Monte developed was the best unit that ever played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Monte was their coordinator,” former Bucs safety John Lynch is quoted as saying on the team’s homepage.

His coaching career began in 1966 at the University of Nebraska. He first worked in the NFL in 1983 as linebackers coach for the Green Bay Packers.

After his time in Tampa, Kiffin went back to college, but celebrated his comeback in the NFL in 2013 as defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys. His last stop in the league was with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016.