ESPN NFC SOUTH BLOG
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
"TAMPA, Fla. -- What happened on the field at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday was something Tampa Bay fans should savor.
It's going to go down as one of the final chapters of a story that won't get fully appreciated until it's over. Yes, Monte Kiffin's time as the Buccaneers' defensive coordinator -- heck, his time as the best defensive coordinator in the NFL -- appears to be coming to an end.
The man who's made the Bucs respectable since 1996 apparently will join his son, Lane, who officially will be announced as the University of Tennessee's new coach on Monday. There were no denials after the Bucs defeated the Saints, 23-20.
"It's all just speculation,'' Kiffin said. "That's all it is. I can honestly tell you it's speculation, just like it came up with the Raiders, it came up two years ago, it came up last year. So all I'm going to talk about and stay focused on is Monday Night Football, the Carolina Panthers and how about this game we just played?''
If you're still clinging to hope that Kiffin will stay in pewter forever, think again. He was given several chances to shoot down the stuff he called speculation.
"No, no, no,'' Kiffin said. "I'm going to talk about our football team.''
That's the Buccaneers, for now, and Kiffin is the kind of old-school guy who means what he says. This guy is no Bobby Petrino. He's not going to leave his team in the middle of a playoff run.
But he wouldn't deny all that could change after the season.
"Well, we'll see,'' Kiffin said. "It's all speculation. It really is. I'm just telling you, that's all I can tell you, it is speculation.''
So speculate away and picture Kiffin on Rocky Top and wearing orange and white next season. Funny, those were the same colors the Buccaneers used to wear when Kiffin arrived in Tampa Bay in 1996..."