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Monte Kiffin, architect of ‘Tampa 2’ Super Bowl-winning defense, dies at 84

Thu Jul 11 8:51pm ET
Field Level Media

Super Bowl champion Monte Kiffin, 84, has died, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Ole Miss Football announced on Thursday.

He passed in Oxford, Miss., surrounded by family and friends.

Kiffin was the defensive coordinator and architect of the Buccaneers' famed "Tampa 2" defense that gained popularity at all levels of football following its success in Tampa over a 13-year run under head coaches Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden that resulted in the franchise's first NFL championship in Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003.

He coordinated Hall of Fame defenders Warren Sapp, Darrick Brooks, John Lynch and Ronde Barber over that run.

Kiffin was inducted into the Buccaneers' Ring of Honor in 2021.

In a statement issued by the Buccaneers, team ownership said:

"Monte Kiffin was a beloved and iconic member of the Buccaneers family, and our entire organization mourns his loss today. 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. 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. 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. We send our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Robin, son, Lane, daughter, Heidi, and the entire Kiffin family."

Kiffin's tenure in Tampa Bay ended when he departed to coach under his son, Lane, at the University of Tennessee in 2009. The pair moved to the University of Southern California the following year.

The elder Kiffin eventually returned to the NFL for stints with the Cowboys and Jaguars before once again joining his son at Florida Atlantic and Ole Miss in assistant/analyst roles.

A Nebraska collegian and professional football player for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Rifles, Kiffin quickly transitioned to coaching, taking a grad assistant job with his alma mater in 1966. He was eventually elevated to defensive coordinator and then left for the same job at Arkansas before being hired as the head coach at North Carolina State in 1980.

That position lasted just three years. He caught on with the Green Bay Packers as an assistant in 1983 and his career took off from there.

Stints with the Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets and New Orleans Saints led him to Tampa Bay, where he would enjoy his greatest successes.

"I love that man and am so indebted to him," Lynch told the Tampa Bay Times. "Monte had a unique enthusiasm for life, football and family. He also had a passion for coaching -- and helping people like myself become the best version of themselves."

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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 17

Player Notes
Jerome Ford Dec 29 5:20pm ET
Jerome Ford

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford (ankle) exited during the second half of Sunday's Week 17 contest against the Miami Dolphins. He was taken to the locker room for evaluation and is officially questionable to return. At the time of his departure, he had rushed for just 22 yards on six carries. With Nick Chubb (Achilles) done for the year and Ford temporarily sidelined, the Browns will now rely on D'Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong Jr. as their primary running backs.

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DeVonta Smith Dec 29 5:10pm ET
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Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith caught six of his seven targets for 120 yards and two touchdowns in their decisive victory against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday afternoon. Smith left the game for a brief window with a wrist injury. However, that did not seem to alter his performance as he paced all Philadelphia pass catchers in yards and receptions. He caught his first score of the game from Kenny Pickett on a 22-yard pass. He found the end zone again, this time on a 25-yard strike from Tanner McKee. His longest reception of the afternoon went for 49 yards. Despite catching passes from a multiple backup quarterbacks, Smith showcased his elite upside with his first multi-touchdown performance of the season. Smith will look to stay hot in a divisional tilt in Week 18 against the New York Giants.

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Aaron Rodgers Dec 29 5:10pm ET
Aaron Rodgers

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was replaced by Tyrod Taylor in the fourth quarter of Sunday's Week 17 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Rodgers finished with 112 passing yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also took four sacks, including one for a safety. Interestingly, Taylor played significantly better in his two drives, completing 79 percent of his passes for 83 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Despite Taylor's promising fourth quarter, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich told the media postgame that he expects Rodgers to remain the starter for Week 18 against the Miami Dolphins. Looking beyond next weekend, Rodgers' future with the Jets remains uncertain, and it's possible he will enter 2025 with a new team or even on the retirement list.

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Marquez Valdes-Scantling Dec 29 5:00pm ET
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New Orleans Saints wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (back) re-aggravated an existing injury during Sunday's Week 17 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, according to interim head coach Darren Rizzi. He was targeted twice but did not catch a pass in the defeat. Valdes-Scantling has been one of the Saints' most productive pass-catchers since the team lost Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee) to injuries. However, after Derek Carr (back) got hurt, Valdes-Scantling's productivity declined. He was targeted seven times in Week 15 when Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler both got reps, but he caught just two passes in that contest. Assuming Carr remains sidelined for Week 18, Valdes-Scantling will stay off the fantasy radar in most leagues.

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Jonathan Taylor Dec 29 5:00pm ET
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Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor ran the ball 32 times for 125 yards and two scores in their loss to the New York Giants on Sunday afternoon. He also brought in two of his four targets for 11 yards. Taylor punched in his first score of the game in the second quarter on a three-yard run. Later in the third, Taylor would tally his second touchdown, this time on a 26-yard run. This was also his longest run of the afternoon. Taylor has now posted back-to-back outing where he tallied at least two touchdowns and eclipsed over 100 rushing yards. Since Week 13, Taylor has seen at least 22 rushing attempts per game. The Wisconsin product remains a high-end RB1 heading into his final game of the season against the Jacksonville Jaguars who have allowed the second-most PPR points to opposing RBs.

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Baker Mayfield Dec 29 4:50pm ET
Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield went 27-for-32 with 359 yards and five scores in their blowout victory over the Carolina Panthers. Mayfield connected with his top wideout Mike Evans twice, both times in the red zone. He also found rookie wide receiver, Jalen McMillan for two scores, once from 10 yards out and the other time from 16 yards out. His fifth passing score was caught by tight end Payne Durham. Since Week 14, Mayfield has thrown at least two passing scores in each contest and tallied at least three in three of them. Over this span he has tallied at least 280.0 passing yards in each game. Mayfield will look to cap off the best season of his career with a Week 18 matchup against the New Orleans Saints as the Buccaneers inch towards a playoff berth.

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Mike Evans Dec 29 4:50pm ET
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans caught eight of his nine targets for 97 yards and two scores during their demanding victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon. Evans did most of his damage in the first half by scoring twice. He caught his first score on a two-yard pass in the opening frame and his second score on a one-yard pass in the second quarter. His longest reception of the day went for 34 yards. His receptions, targets, and yardage total paced all Tampa wideouts and only tied for the most receiving scores with rookie Jalen McMillan. Since Week 13, Evans has found the end zone five times in five contests. During this stretch, he has tallied at least 90 yards in three of the five games. He will look to stay hot next weekend against a struggling New Orleans secondary.

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Malik Nabers Dec 29 4:40pm ET
Malik Nabers

New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers caught seven of his eight targets for 171 yards and two scores in their victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Nabers found the back of the end zone in the opening quarter on a 31-yard pass from Drew Lock. Then in the fourth quarter, Nabers tallied his second touchdown, this time on a 51-yard TD reception. Nabers' eight targets and 171 yards paced all New York pass catchers. In addition this set a new career-high in yards in a single game. This was also only the third time this season the LSU product tallied over 100 receiving yards in a single contest. Despite having poor quarterback play, Nabers has enjoyed a fantastic rookie season as he caught at least seven passes in nine of his 14 games with six total touchdowns. Nabers remains an elite play in DFS next weekend despite facing a tough Philadelphia secondary.

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Drew Lock Dec 29 4:30pm ET
Drew Lock

New York Giants quarterback Drew Lock went 17-for-23 with 309 yards and four scores in their victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Lock also added a rushing score. Lock tallied his first score of the afternoon on a 31-yard pass to rookie standout Malik Nabers. In the second, Lock found Darius Slayton on a 32-yard TD strike and later Wan'Dale Robinson on a five-yard TD pass. In the fourth quarter, he found Nabers once again, this time on a 59-yard catch-and-run TD pass and capped off his day with a rushing score at the five-yard line. This was not only Lock's best showing of the season but of his career. Coming into this game, Lock averaged a mere 205.0 passing yards per game with just one passing score over his past three contests. Despite his strong showing, Lock has a tough task ahead of him in Week 18 facing a Philadelphia defense that has allowed the fifth-fewest PPR points to opposing QBs.

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Tyjae Spears Dec 29 4:20pm ET
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Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (concussion) has already been ruled out ahead of Week 18 against the Houston Texans, head coach Brian Callahan told the media. Spears exited during the second half of Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars and did not return. He finished Week 17 with 98 rushing yards on 21 carries. He also caught three of his four targets for eight yards through the air. Spears had been elevated to the lead-back role with Tony Pollard (ankle, illness) sidelined before he, too, had to leave the contest. Julius Chestnut and Joshua Kelley took over as the Titans' top running backs with Spears sidelined, but Pollard could return to the mix for next week's regular-season finale.

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Jamel Dean Dec 29 3:40pm ET
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean (knee) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's Week 17 contest against the Carolina Panthers. He had registered one tackle and one pass defended prior to his departure. It's worth noting that Dean dealt with injuries to both knees during practice this past week, so it's possible that he re-aggravated or worsened an existing ailment. Josh Hayes will earn more defensive snaps for the duration of Dean's absence.

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Tyjae Spears Dec 29 3:30pm ET
Tyjae Spears

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (head) was taken to the locker room and is being evaluated for a potential concussion, according to Jim Wyatt of the team's official website. Spears had been productive prior to his departure, rushing for 98 yards on 21 carries. He also caught three of his four targets for eight yards through the air. The 23-year-old was in the midst of handling an increased workload with Tony Pollard (ankle, illness) inactive. He already suffered one concussion earlier this season and has been wearing a guardian cap as a preventative measure. Until Spears can return to the mix, Julius Chestnut and Joshua Kelley will lead the Titans' backfield.

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Sauce Gardner Dec 29 3:20pm ET
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New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (hamstring) exited the game against the Buffalo Bills with a hamstring injury and will not return. The star cornerback left the game in the third quarter and was quickly downgraded from questionable to out. He registered three total tackles, all solo, and one pass defended before leaving. The Jets already have a thin secondary, so they'll have an even tougher time playing spoiler to the Buffalo Bills.

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Christian Watson Dec 29 3:20pm ET
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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (knee) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 17 contest against the Minnesota Vikings. The 25-year-old had been listed as questionable but was not expected to play entering this weekend. Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and Romeo Doubs will step up as the Packers' top wide receiver for the duration of Watson's absence. Reed remains the top fantasy receiver in Green Bay, but all three have FLEX upside given Jordan Love's ability to distribute targets.

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Kendre Miller Dec 29 3:10pm ET
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New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller (concussion) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders. He finishes the game with three carries for three yards and one catch for 16 yards on one target. The only two running backs on the depth chart for the rest of this game are Jamaal Williams and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Miller's status is up in the air now for their Week 18 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Kenny Pickett Dec 29 3:10pm ET
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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kenny Pickett (ribs) exited during the third quarter of Sunday's Week 17 contest against the Dallas Cowboys. He took a hit while throwing a pass, went to the sideline in visible pain, and then went to the locker room with medical personnel. At the time of his departure, he had completed 10 of 15 passes for 143 passing yards, one passing touchdown, and one rushing touchdown. With Jalen Hurts (concussion) also sidelined, the Eagles will now turn to third-string quarterback Tanner McKee to lead their offense until Pickett can return. A second-year Stanford product, McKee has never played a regular-season snap in the NFL.

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Jaylen Waddle Dec 29 3:00pm ET
Jaylen Waddle

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (knee) was originally considered questionable for the Week 17 matchup with the Cleveland Browns but has since been ruled inactive. Tyreek Hill (wrist), on the other hand, will play while the offense misses Tua Tagovailoa (hip). Malik Washington should be the one to step up and see some more targets since Odell Beckham Jr. isn't competing for any looks. Waddle's next chance to play will be Week 18 against the New York Jets.

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Tyreek Hill Dec 29 3:00pm ET
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Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (wrist) is officially active for Week 17's game against the Cleveland Browns. The star wideout finally started finding the end zone again from Week 10 to Week 16, but he'll have to operate with Tyler Huntley instead of Tua Tagovailoa (hip). During Huntley's three starts earlier this season, Hill registered WR54, WR32, and WR73 finishes in half-PPR leagues. The Browns allow the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing receivers but are 22nd against opposing quarterbacks. Fantasy managers may want to temper expectations a bit for Hill, especially in a game forecasted with thunderstorms and wind.

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Tua Tagovailoa Dec 29 2:50pm ET
Tua Tagovailoa

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (hip) has been downgraded from doubtful to inactive ahead of Sunday's kickoff against the Cleveland Browns. That means Tyler Huntley will take over as the starting quarterback against his former team. This also means a sizeable downgrade for the Dolphins' offense since Huntley threw just one touchdown in his three starts earlier this season. Tagovailoa's next chance to play will be Week 18 against the New York Jets.

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Kendre Miller Dec 29 2:30pm ET
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New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller (head) is being evaluated for a concussion and is questionable to return on Sunday against the Raiders. The second-year back accrued three yards on three carries and one catch for 16 yards before leaving the game in the second quarter. His status will likely be monitored through halftime to see if he can return. In the meantime, Clyde Edwards-Helaire should see extra opportunities both on the ground and through the air.

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