By Mike Fisher | @fishsports

IRVING (105.3 THE FAN) -- Monte Kiffin, one of the icons of NFL defensive coaching, has always fought against the idea of retirement, even as he approaches 75.

"I don't golf, I don't fish, I don't bowl," he often jokes. "It's just family and football."

And now it's about to no longer be football with the Dallas Cowboys.

Kiffin worked in 2012 and 2013 as the Dallas defensive coordinator before being demoted this season to what amounted to a "special-assistant" role under long-time friend and former pupil Rod Marinelli.

Marinelli's contract was renewed last month. Inside of Valley Ranch, word is getting around that Kiffin won't be renewed, and that's not a shock.

But it serves as a shock to the system of Kiffin, who after almost 50 years in coaching, prefers to avoid retirement ... Maybe so he can avoid golf, fishing and bowling.

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