Lane and Layla Kiffin have been together for more than 15 years, meeting through, of course, football. (Getty)
Lane and Layla Kiffin have been together for over 15 years. They’ve faced the ups and downs of college athletics, coaching changes and criss-crossing the country while trying to raise a family.
Now, they’re facing the internet.
In September 2015, rumors started to swirl on Twitter that Lane had been involved in an improper relationship with, depending on what tweets you saw, either an Alabama booster or Nick Saban’s daughter Kristen. The rumors were just that, but they were enough to draw attention on social media and spark a frenzy of tweets from across the country.
Here’s what you need to know about Layla Kiffin:
1. Lane & Layla Met Through His Father, Monte in 1999
Lane and Layla Kiffin were engaged just three months after they first met in Florida. (Getty)
It was a meet-cute that’s worthy of any good romantic comedy.
Lane was working as a graduate assistant at Colorado State in 1999 when he went to visit his father, Monte, at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers facility where he was working as the team’s defensive coordinator. That’s where he met Layla.
The pair hit it off immediately and started dating almost quicker. They were engaged in just three months. Layla’s father, Dan Reaves, described how Lane asked for his permission to marry his daughter:
The receptionist at my office buzzed me and said Lane was here to see me,” said Reaves, who works in real estate. “I thought he was going to say that he was getting out of coaching and wanted a job. Instead he asked if he could marry my daughter. I called her to ask her, ‘Is he serious?’ (laughs) I wasn’t supposed to ruin the surprise. They bought an engagement ring that same day.
Lane and Layla were married shortly after and have been together ever since. Movie-ready material, right?
2. Layla Graduated from the University of Florida in 1997
Although she’s always a fan of the team her husband, Lane, is coaching, Layla admits her ties to Florida are still strong. (Facebook)
Layla’s roots run deep with the University of Florida. She attended the school from 1992 to 1996 and both of her parents were alums of the school. In other words, Gator blood ran in her veins.
Even before she attended UF, Layla lived in Gainesville for two years and graduated from Bucholz High School. She still keeps in contact with a handful of friends from high school as well as her college sorority sisters.
After graduating from UF, Layla stayed close to her college home, working as part of the special events department with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
3. Her Father, John Reaves, Played 11 Seasons in the NFL
Football has always been a part of Layla’s life. Her father, John Reaves, was an All-American quarterback at the University of Florida and led the Gators to one of their best seasons in 1969 with a victory over Tennessee in the Gator Bowl. Reaves was also part of the now-infamous “Gator Flop” play.
He was selected in the first round of the 1972 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles and played for the team from 1972 to 1974. Reaves also played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings and Houston Oilers before moving to the USFL in 1983. When the USFL dissolved after the 1985 season, Reaves returned to the NFL in 1987 and played one final year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
After retiring, Reaves continued to surround himself with football, serving as the assistant coach at Florida from 1990 – 1992 and again in 1994. He also served as an assistant coach at South Carolina from 1995 to 1997.
Away from the field, Reaves struggled with substance abuse and was arrested on gun and drug possession charges in 2008. He entered an Atlanta area abuse rehabilitation program in 2009.
4. Layla’s Brother, David, Worked on Lane’s Staff at Tennessee
Layla and Lane kept football in the family while in Knoxville after hiring her brother, David, to join the staff at Tennessee. David Reaves served as the Volunteers quarterbacks coach for one season.
However, things got a little dramatic when Lane opted to leave Knoxville, reportedly, neglecting to share his plans with his brother-in-law. In fact, according to a report by ESPN, the NCAA questioned Reaves about Kiffin’s recruiting practices while he was at Tennessee. Reaves was formally accused of NCAA violations in February 2011, with claims that he requested certain individuals make phone calls to potential athletes.
Reaves currently works on the coaching staff at USF, his third season with the team. He joined the Bulls staff in January 2013 as the team’s wide receivers coach, and was the Associate head coach for the 2016 season.
5. She & Lane Have Three Children Together
Lane Kiffin’s coaching career has taken him across the country and his family, including his three children, have been there every step of the way.
Layla gave birth to the couple’s first child, a daughter named Landry in 2005. Their second daughter, Presley, was born two years later and their first son, Knox, was born in 2009. Knox, of course, is named after Knoxville, born while Lane was the head coach at Tennessee. Since becoming a mother, Layla has focused on raising her children, telling Knox News that she didn’t expect to be a stay-at-home mom, but can’t imagine doing anything else:
I loved what I did and was really happy with the way my career was going. But since they have arrived I can’t even imagine working. It’s just not for me. We’ve said we want more (kids), but I don’t know. I’m very happy with what I have right now.
