Dick Huffman was born in Charleston, West Virginia in 1923. He was recruited by the late General Neyland to play football for the University of Tennessee. He played right tackle for the 1942 Vols before returning to Tennessee in 1946, after military service. He was All-American after the four-year break from football.

With Huffman anchoring the line, the Vols made a full return to prominence in the South, winning the 1946 SEC Championship with a 9-2 record. Huffman and the defensive line held five opponents to seven points or less, collecting two shutouts in the closing years of the two-way player. Huffman was one of only two players to earn All-America honors in six seasons following World War II.

In 1945, Huffman was drafted by the Cleveland Browns. He was then traded to the Los Angeles Rams where he played from 1947-1950 and was named to one Pro Bowl before being lured to the Canadian Football League by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Huffman was a two-way tackle known for his tremendous strength and agility. In his final season with the Bombers, Huffman was selected to the All-Star Team as both an offensive and defensive tackle. Sports reports suggested that "enemy quarterbacks simply ran their plays away from Dick Huffman." He was nominated twice for each of the Schenley Outstanding Lineman Award and the Schenley Outstanding Player Award. Huffman played for the Bombers from 1951-1955 and the Calgary Stampeders from 1956-57

Huffman earned All-Western offensive tackle honors in 1952, 1954 and 1957. He was named All-Western defensive tackle in 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956 and 1957. Huffman was the first former Tennessee player to be inducted into the Canadian Football League Hall of Fame in 1987.