Monte Kiffin didn’t handle retirement very well.

No golfing. No fishing. Not even some leisurely shuffleboard.

“You can only go on so many walks with your wife on the beach,” Kiffin said.

So the 76-year-old Kiffin got back into coaching after a one-year hiatus and is helping Jacksonville Jaguars coach Gus Bradley revamp one of the worst defenses in the NFL. Kiffin isn’t calling plays or working with a specific position group. He’s merely a defensive assistant, but probably the most well-respected one in the league.

He’s entering his 29th NFL season, a career that includes stops in Green Bay, Buffalo, Minnesota, New York, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Dallas and Jacksonville. He has 21 years of coaching at the collegiate level, a resume that began at his alma mater, Nebraska, in 1966.

So this is Kiffin’s golden anniversary.

It might also be his most enjoyable season after spending a year somewhat removed from the game.

“I’m really having a lot of fun,” Kiffin said. “But having fun, you’ve got to win, you know? You want to win. Like I told Gus, ‘I didn’t come here to be one-and-done now. Let’s go.’”

The Jaguars seemingly have all the pieces in place for a quick turnaround, with defensive end Dante Fowler returning from knee injury, defensive tackle Malik Jackson and safety Tashaun Gipson filling huge needs in free agency, and cornerback Prince Amukamara providing veteran leadership. Throw in the team’s top three draft picks — cornerback Jalen Ramsey, linebacker Myles Jack and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue — and Jacksonville believes it has assembled a formidable unit for years to come.