A Pioneering Running Back

Versatility was Ricky's hallmark: He ran hard with bursts of speed through the line of scrimmage with hands of a receiver to be a major threat out of the backfield.

The Early Years

Watters attended Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he played quarterback and wore #12; he was a four-year letterman in football and won the District 3 AAA championship in his junior year. He played peewee, pony, and varsity grade school football for Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament (OLBS) Golden Gales and the Harrisburg Packers.

Winning the National Championship at Notre Dame

Adversity and Triumph

Head Coach Lou Holtz recruited Watters in 1987 to play running back for the Fighting Irish. In 1988, he switched to wide receiver, replacing Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown. That season, Watters led the team in receptions and they won the National Championship. He moved back to running back the next season and led the running backs in rushing yards.

PRofessional Career

Consistency and longevity

Watters was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1991 NFL Draft in the second round (45th overall). In 1992, he rushed for 1,013 yards and scored nine touchdowns in his first real season of action.

He emerged as a dual-threat running back/receiver as his career progressed.

Watters and the Niners made it to the NFC Championship 3 years in a row against the Cowboys. In the 1993 playoff run, Watters set an NFL postseason record with five rushing touchdowns against Lawrence Taylor and the Giants defense in the divisional round. In the 1994 Super Bowl victory over the San Diego Chargers 49-26, Watters scored three touchdowns, tying an All-Time Super Bowl record with Jerry Rice, Roger Craig and later Terrell Davis.

Ricky scoring 1 of 5 touchdowns against the Giants in the divisional round.

In free agency Ricky joined the Philadelphia Eagles in 1995 and quickly established himself as a very productive player for the Eagles, leading the league in yards from scrimmage in 1996 and helping Philadelphia get to the playoffs twice. In 3 seasons with the Eagles, he played and started every game and recorded 3,794 rushing yards and 31 rushing TDs on 975 carries.

In 1998, Watters joined the Seahawks and played with them until his retirement in 2001. He finished his professional career with 10,643 yards rushing and 4,248 yards receiving and 91 total touchdowns in regular season play. As of the end of the 2011 NFL season, Watters is one of only two NFL running backs to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season for three teams, along with Willis McGahee.

Ricky’s Football Legacy

Ricky enjoyed a prolific career in the National Football League.

He played 10 seasons for the 49ers, Seahawks and Eagles. He had 2,622 carries for 10,643 yards, 467 catches for 4,248 yards and scored 91 touchdowns. He was selected to play in 5 Pro Bowls and is a Super Bowl Champion.