Ricky Watters was one of the most electrifying running backs in the NFL during the 1990s. Sure, the decade produced Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith, but few were a better all-around athlete as Ricky "Running" Watters. But Watters could prove to be an enigma, whether he was with Notre Dame, the 49ers, Eagles or Seahawks, he always seemed to bring just enough drama to leave memories that were wide on the emotional spectrum for spectators all over the sport. This is his story.
Early Life
Ricky Watters was born on April 7, 1969 and adopted into a loving family. After finding out about his adoption as a young lad, he became determined to work harder than everyone else. He never wanted to feel unaccepted and felt that the only way that he could feel included in society was to dominate the competition.
Propelled by his inner demons, he starred in basketball and baseball at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's Bishop McDevitt. However, his true talent was on the gridiron. As a senior, he was named Pennsylvania's Big 33 Player of the Year. He could have gone anywhere after high school as he was widely known as the nation's top recruit, but he chose one of the top up and coming programs in America, the University of Notre Dame.
The Fighting Irish hadn't won a national championship in a decade and had hired Arkansas's Lou Holtz just the year before to rebuild the program. Ricky Watters didn't do much as a freshman in 1987, rushing just 69 times for 373 yards and three touchdowns.
Interestingly, Notre Dame's coaches had seen enough of his receiving skills to move him to flanker as a sophomore. It was a tall task, especially considering that he was replacing Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown. Suffice it to say, it was a lackluster season for the young receiver. He only caught nine more passes (15) than 1987, scoring twice while rushing 30 times for a miniscule 71 yards.
Still, the Fighting Irish were undefeated and ranked first in America going into their regular season finale against second-ranked USC. But Ricky Watters and fellow running back Tony Brooks were late for a meeting and Lou Holtz decided to suspend them for the pivotal game. While Notre Dame would pull off the 27-10 victory over their hated rivals and eventually won the national championship, there was a lump that grew within Ricky Watters' throat. He never wanted to feel left out of an opportunity of that magnitude again.
San Francisco
After being drafted 45th overall by the 49ers in 1991, a litany of injuries sidelined Ricky Watters all of his rookie year. The following year, he proved to be a natural fit in Mike Shanahan's zone blocking offense, rushing for 1,013 yards, catching 405 yards and accounting for 11 total touchdowns as the 49ers blew through their schedule to the tune of a 14-2 season.
But all their dominance couldn't hold up against the Dallas Cowboys as the 49ers lost at Candlestick Park in the NFC Championship Game. While the season was lost for the rest of his team, there was a silver lining: Ricky Watters was invited to his first Pro Bowl.
The following year, he tied a franchise record with 10 rushing touchdowns and was again invited to the Pro Bowl. In a 44-3 Divisional Round demolition of the New York Giants, Ricky Watters set the league postseason record by rushing for five touchdowns, every one of which was scored from deep within the red zone. The good vibes only lasted a week as the 49ers were again eliminated by the Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game.
1994 was a magical year in San Francisco. Infused with a giant crop of free agent signees, the 49ers were built to claim their fifth Super Bowl. It wasn't Ricky Watters' finest year on the ground, averaging just 3.7 yards a carry, however he did have his best year through the air, gaining 719 yards and five touchdowns.
The 49ers had a lot of weapons to chose from that year. In addition to Watters, they had rookie William Floyd in the backfield, tight end Brent Jones setting the edge on run plays while catching timely passes from Steve Young and receivers Jerry Rice, John Taylor and Ed McCaffrey carving up the opposing secondary week after week. Suffice it to say, Watters didn't get the ball every play. Still, he made the most of his opportunity, catching a 29-yard touchdown pass early in the first quarter of the NFC Championship Game. After their 38-28 victory of the Cowboys, the 49ers headed to Miami for the Super Bowl.
The talent gap between the 49ers and Chargers was so vast that that year's Super Bowl was more of a coronation than a competition. It seemed like everyone scored in the 49-28 victory and Ricky Watters showed the nation his immense talent early one by catching a 51-yard touchdown to make it 14-0 in the first quarter.
After catching an eight-yard touchdown in the second quarter and rushing for a nine-yard score to make stretch the lead to 35-10 in the third quarter, Ricky Watters became one of just five people to score three times in the Super Bowl. All told, he rushed 15 times for 47 yards and caught three passes for 61 yards, at once winning the biggest game of his life and showing potential free agent suitors the possibilities of his services.
Later Career
Late in the Eagles' Opening Day loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Ricky Watters ran the same post pattern he had run to perfection in the Super Bowl only months earlier. Only this time, he noticed the on-coming safeties that were intending to knock his head clean off. He didn't even reach for the ball. After the game, the media was all over him about that, wondering why he didn't reach out for the pass. Philadelphia's new running back simply stated "For who, for what?"
Philadelphia was aghast. It wasn't so much that their new running back didn't have the nerve to sacrifice his body for the good of the team, his recent comments made it sound like he didn't care about his childhood home. Fans all over the City of Brotherly love could only wish that Ricky Watters give back the three year, $6.9 million deal he had signed right after winning the Super Bowl. The immortal words "For who, for what?" rang in their ears for the remainder of his stay with the Eagles.
Still, Watters was undaunted, rushing for 1,273 yards and 11 touchdowns in 1995. The Eagles made the playoffs that year and vanquished the Detroit Lions 58-37 in the Wild Card Round. Watters was fantastic that day, accounting for 115 all-purpose yards while scoring twice. What's more, his 49 rushing yards was more than the Lions' electrifying running back Barry Sanders's forty. The Eagles lost to the Cowboys the next week
The following year, Ricky Watters led the league with 1,855 yards from scrimmage and making the fifth and final Pro Bowl of his career. The Eagles lost to the 49ers 14-0 in the first round that year and after missing the postseason entirely in 1997, they were ready to move on from Ricky Watters and start to rebuild.
Watters signed with the Seattle Seahawks in 1998 and his running style proved efficient for their scheme, gaining more than 1,200 yards on the ground in each of his first three years while scoring 25 total touchdowns. The Seahawks made the playoffs just once in his four years there, a 20-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins in the 1999 Wild Card. It was the final game played in the Seattle Kingdome. He was recognized for his services to the franchise by being named to the Seahawk's 35th Anniversary Team.
He retired in 2001 with 10,643 rushing yards, 4,248 receiving yards and 91 total touchdowns to his name. Despite his explosive play, he has yet to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Ricky Watters now spends his time as a motivational speaker for adopted youth.
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