Team asked Kiffin to take pay cut

By RICK STROUD
Published November 27, 2005

TAMPA - The Bucs' first attempt to extend Monte Kiffin 's contract last summer didn't go over too well with the coaching staff.

Why?

Because the team wanted Kiffin to take a pay cut.

The Bucs' 65-year-old defensive coordinator is among the highest-paid assistants in the NFL at approximately $1.6-million per year.

But that contract was negotiated by vice president Joel Glazer in the afterglow of a Super Bowl title while Kiffin was being courted for the 49ers' head-coaching job.

With the contracts of more than a half-dozen assistants set to expire at the end of this season, reducing Kiffin's salary would have made it easier for general manager Bruce Allen to retain much of the staff.

Kiffin held his ground and eventually agreed to a two-year extension for reportedly the same salary.

Kiffin joined rookie coach Tony Dungy 's staff in 1996, and since 1997, the defense has never finished lower than ninth in the league, including six top-five rankings and four times ending the season in the top three. Entering today's game against the Bears, Tampa Bay is third in the league.

What message could asking the league's best defensive coordinator to reduce his salary send to the rest of the staff?

Defensive line coach Rod Marinelli , 56 and with the Bucs since 1996, and defensive backs coach Mike Tomlin , 33 and with team since 2001, are among those who don't have contracts for next season.

The Bucs have denied both opportunities in the past to interview for defensive coordinator jobs.

Marinelli is one of the most highly respected assistants in the league and you can bet his agent, Frank Bauer , is lining up other NFL opportunities or possibly a college head-coaching job.

Kiffin denied Friday he had agreed to an extension that would keep him with the Bucs through 2007. In fact, he said the topic had never been discussed.

The Bucs do not comment on the status of coaches' contracts.

But reports of Kiffin's extension rekindled what apparently was a hot topic before the start of the regular season.

In the end, Kiffin got what he deserved. But the episode could end up costing the Bucs more than his salary.

FLIP-FLOP: Jon Gruden is winning games by hanging a ton of points on the scoreboard and hoping his defense can hang on.

Who knows how long the Bucs can keep their aging defense together. End Simeon Rice , linebacker Derrick Brooks and tackle Anthony McFarland will eat up nearly $30-million in salary cap room next season.

If Chris Simms continues to win, the Bucs will have to back up the Brinks truck to keep the 25-year-old quarterback in Tampa Bay since he will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.

In the meantime, the Bucs seem to be enjoying the transition.

"We're learning how to win, whether it's a close game or a come-from-behind," McFarland said. "We're learning how to win and that's the thing that I think has helped us the most. We're a team where we've got 10 or 12 guys that are seven, eight, nine or 10-year vets. Then we've got a bunch of guys who are four years and under. It's relatively a young team and we're going to go as far as our young players take us. As quick as they grow. That's exactly how far we're going to go."

[Last modified November 27, 2005, 01:18:21]