While serving in the Navy, he played for the 1945 Fleet City Bluejackets football team.

[1] Riffle played college football for Notre Dame as a fullback in 1937 and at right guard in 1938 and 1939.

[3][4][5] Riffle played for the Cleveland Rams in the National Football League during the 1944 NFL season.

[6] He played for the 1945 Fleet City Bluejackets football team that compiled an 11–0–1 record.

[7] After the war, Riffle played three seasons for the New York Yankees of the All-America Football Conference from 1946 to 1948.