Saturday morning, Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin came across a red bird who would sneak into Kiffin’s house through the balcony and touch the photo of his late father, Monte Kiffin, before going off. It happens daily, giving a sign of something special.
Kiffin connected the dots, claiming it’s a sign that his father must be looking down on him. In a video posted on Instagram, the coach of Ole Miss said:
“That’s crazy, every morning this red birch comes up, pokes the picture, and flies away. Can’t make it up.”
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Lane Kiffin’s father, Monte, was a legendary football coach with a sharp mind for defense. He was the creator of the famous “Tampa 2” defense, a strategy that helped Tampa Bay win Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003. Monte, who served as the Buccaneers’ defensive coordinator from 1996-2008, took several greats of the game under his wing at the time, including Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Ronde Barber.
Monte’s coaching stint in the NFL and college football was over 50 years, with stints including Nebraska, Arkansas, NC State (as head coach), Saints, Vikings, Cowboys, Florida Atlantic and Ole Miss. He was a two-time national champion in college, winning with the Cornhuskers as their defensive coordinator in 1970-71 and as head coach of NC State (1980-82).
Lane Kiffin Gives Tribute to His Father After His Demise
Monte Kiffin passed away peacefully in Oxford, Mississippi, at age 84, surrounded by loved ones in July 2024.
At SEC Media Days last July, Lane Kiffin described his dad as a “superhero.” He said:
“Hero isn’t really the right term for him. It’s superhero… There’s very few great ones that loved everyone and tried to help everyone they came in contact with, forever.
“I’ve talked before about (him) being my hero. I had a high school friend who said hero isn’t really the right term for him. It’s superhero… One person said ‘I met him in a gas station. And although he was a stranger to me, he made me feel like a friend.’ He would never want anyone to have a bad day or be sad. So this is me trying to do that.”
“Hero isn’t the right term for him, it’s superhero.”@OleMissFB‘s @Lane_Kiffin on his late father Monte Kiffin ❤️ pic.twitter.com/VfwSOtLB7v
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) July 15, 2024
Just a year later, Kiffin’s mother, Robin, also left him earlier this week on Tuesday. She was 81 years old when she died.
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