Richard B. Buffington (born April 16, 1945) is an American former football player and coach. After briefly playing college football at BYU, he played for 17–19 different minor league teams in several leagues. He became a coach afterwards, beginning in 1968 with Bristol Community College. Buffington was a scout and assistant coach in the National Football League (NFL) in the late 1970s, and was an administrator and coach in the United States Football League (USFL) from 1982 to 1984. From 1988 to 2000, Buffington was a coach for several teams in the Arena Football League (AFL), including serving as head coach for the Albany Firebirds (1990–1993), Connecticut Coyotes (1995), Charlotte Rage (1996), and Florida Bobcats (1998, 2000). He also coached the New Haven Ninjas (2002) and Albany Conquest (2004) in af2, the New England Surge (2007) in the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL), and the Boston Blaze (2017) in the Can-Am Indoor Football League.

Buffington was born on April 16, 1945, in Fall River, Massachusetts. At five years old, he was run over by a car, resulting in two broken legs. When they healed, Buffington "found that his legs were very strong, and that catapulted him to run continuously, and run every day and everywhere." At 15 years old, he enrolled at Durfee High School, where he played football. After graduating from there, Buffington played one season of freshman football at Brigham Young University in 1963. He was drafted to serve in the United States Navy shortly afterwards.

Buffington later returned to BYU, and after graduating from there, began a career in minor league football. He played for a total of at least 17 teams, with some sources listing as many as 19, including three at once. "[The three teams] were all in different leagues, and all three of them didn't have insurance," he later said. "I didn't care ... I just wanted to play, wanted to play, wanted to play and wanted to play." Leagues Buffington played in include the Atlantic Coast Football League (ACFL), Eastern Football League (EFL), Boston Park League (BPL), and New England Football League (NEFL). In the ACFL, he played for the Rhode Island Steelers (1966), Bridgeport Jets (?), and Quincy Giants (1969). Buffington mainly played defensive back and kick returner. He was inducted into the Minor Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1987.

Buffington began his coaching career in 1968, as head coach of the Bristol Community College football team in Fall River, Massachusetts. He founded the North-Tri Attleboro Kings of the Eastern Football League in 1973 and served as their head coach, general manager, and owner through 1976. He was hired as a part-time scout with the New York Jets in the National Football League in 1976 by Mike Holovak, and became Holovak's assistant when the latter was named interim head coach the following season.

Buffington followed Holovak to the New England Patriots in 1978, being hired as a scout by Bucko Kilroy. He was promoted to the coaching staff later in the season, and was named coaches' administrative aide/administrative assistant the following year. He also did film work as a defensive assistant and was assistant linebackers coach as well as assistant defensive backs coach from 1979 to 1981, before being fired in December 1981.

Buffington was hired by the New Jersey Generals of the new United States Football League (USFL) at the end of 1982, to serve as special teams and linebackers coach as well as a scout during the 1983 season. He was so optimistic about the league that he declined an offer to become a defensive coach of the New York Giants. After the 1983 season ended, Buffington accepted a position as director of college and pro scouting with the Pittsburgh Maulers, but resigned in January 1984 before the regular season began. A spokesperson said he resigned to "pursue other opportunities in professional football." In 1986, Buffington attempted to bring a professional football team to Boston through the America's Football Team Inc.

Buffington was hired by Babe Parilli as defensive coordinator and head scout of the New England Steamrollers, of the newly formed Arena Football League (AFL), in 1988. He followed Parilli to the Denver Dynamite in 1989, staying as defensive coordinator.

Buffington received his first professional head coaching position in 1990 with the Albany Firebirds, an expansion franchise. In his first season with the team, the Firebirds compiled a 3–5 record but missed the playoffs. He coached them to a playoff berth in 1991, where they lost 35–37 in the semifinals to the Detroit Drive. Buffington was re-signed through the 1992 season in August 1991. He brought them to the playoffs again in 1992 with a record of 5–5, but the Firebirds lost 45–48 in round one of the playoffs to the Dallas Texans. He was re-signed for the 1993 season in October 1992.