Fred Richard Riffle (February 2, 1915 – April 29, 1981) was an American professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

player who played as a

back The human back, also called the dorsum (: dorsa), is the large posterior area of the human body, rising from the top of the buttocks to the back of the neck. It is the surface of the body opposite from the chest and the abdomen. The vertebral c ...

for five seasons for the

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...

and

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...

of the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL). He played

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

Albright College Albright College is a private liberal arts college in Reading, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded in 1856 and had an enrollment of 1,652 students as of fall 2023. History Albright College traces its founding to 1856 when "Union Sem ...

Professional career

Riffle was selected in the second round of the

1938 NFL draft The 1938 NFL draft was held on December 12, 1937, at the Sherman House Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. The draft consisted of 12 rounds and 110 player selections. It began with the Cleveland Rams using the first overall pick of the draft to selec ...

. Riffle played for the

for three seasons, from 1938–1940. In his rookie season, Riffle appeared in eleven games, starting four, and finished the season with 227 yards on 65 rushing attempts and one touchdown, which he scored against the

(then known as the Pittsburgh Pirates) in Philadelphia's 27–7 week two win. Riffle would not see the end zone at all in 1939. In that season, Riffle only carried the ball 18 times for 61 yards, as

Joe Bukant Joseph N. Bukant (October 31, 1915 – February 9, 2007) was an American professional football player who was a fullback for five seasons in the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for Washington University in St. Lou ...

had the bulk of the teams carries. In 1940, Riffle scored the only touchdown in a 7–0 win over Pittsburgh in week 13. The Eagles continued to be one the league's worse teams, next to the Steelers. Following a series of ownership transactions known as the " Pennsylvania Polka, Riffle found himself playing for the Eagles inter-state rival. Against the

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...

in 1941, Riffle caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Al Donelli to tie the game at 7. Washington would go on to win 24–20. Even as the Steelers went through three coaches en route to a 1–9 season, Riffle was selected to his first and only pro bowl. Playing in just ten games, Riffle rushed for 388 yards on 109 carries with one touchdown. In 1942, Riffle started 11 games for Pittsburgh, rushing for 467 yards on 115 carries for four touchdowns. The Steelers went 7–4, a winning record under head coach

Walt Kiesling Walter Andrew Kiesling (May 27, 1903 – March 2, 1962) was an American professional football guard and coach who spent 36 years in the National Football League (NFL). He was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966 and ...

. This, however, would be Riffle's last season of pro football.

NFL career statistics

Death

Riffle died on April 29, 1981, in Corning, NY. He was 66 years old.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Riffle, Dick 1915 births 1981 deaths People from Wellsboro, Pennsylvania Sportspeople from Tioga County, Pennsylvania Players of American football from Pennsylvania American football running backs Philadelphia Eagles players Pittsburgh Steelers players Albright College alumni