Ricky Watters facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ricky Watters

No. 32
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1969-04-07) April 7, 1969 (age 56) Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	217 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school:	Bishop McDevitt (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)
College:	Notre Dame (1987–1990)
NFL Draft:	1991 / Round: 2 / Pick: 45
Career history
San Francisco 49ers (1991) Philadelphia Eagles (1995) Seattle Seahawks (1998)
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (XXIX) 5× Pro Bowl (1992–1996) Seattle Seahawks 35th Anniversary Team NFL records Most rushing touchdowns in a playoff game: 5 Most points scored by a player in a playoff game: 30
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards: 10,643 Rushing average: 4.1 Rushing touchdowns: 78 Receptions: 467 Receiving yards: 4,248 Receiving touchdowns: 13
Player stats at PFR

Ricky Watters, born on April 7, 1969, is a former professional football player. He was a talented running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played for three different teams: the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Seattle Seahawks.

Watters played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He was part of their 1988 team that won the national championship. Later, he won Super Bowl XXIX with the 49ers in 1994. Ricky was famous for his great receiving skills and his special "high-step" running style. This style earned him the nickname Ricky "Running" Watters from sportscaster Chris Berman.

Ricky Watters also appeared in the movie Any Given Sunday. He played the running back for a fictional team called the Dallas Knights. You can see his name in the movie credits and on his #32 jersey.

Today, Watters is a motivational speaker. He helps kids who, like him, were adopted. He is also a recording artist and music producer. He leads his own company, Tigero Entertainment. He even wrote a book called For Who For What, a Warrior’s Journey. He used to be a football coach at Oak Ridge High School in Orlando. After studying architecture in college, he went back to Notre Dame in 2014. He finished his degree in graphic design.

Early Life and High School Football

Ricky Watters grew up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He went to Bishop McDevitt High School. There, he played football as a quarterback. He wore jersey number 12.

Before high school, he played football for Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament (OLBS) Golden Gales. He played in pewee, pony, and varsity grade school leagues.

College Football Career

Ricky Watters joined the University of Notre Dame football team in 1987. He was a very promising player. He was part of coach Lou Holtz's second group of new players. This group helped the Fighting Irish become a top team.

Starting Out at Notre Dame (1987)

In his first year, Watters was a backup player. He also returned kickoffs sometimes. The team finished with 8 wins and 4 losses. They played in the Cotton Bowl Classic against Texas A&M.

Winning the National Championship (1988)

After star player Tim Brown left, Coach Holtz moved Watters to a new position. He became a flanker, which is a type of wide receiver. This helped the team's passing game a lot. Watters led the team in receiving yards that year.

He was also great at special teams. He returned two punts for touchdowns. This means he ran the ball all the way to the end zone after catching a punt.

A Big Game Suspension

Before a big game against USC, Watters was suspended. His teammate Tony Brooks was also suspended. This was for disciplinary reasons. Even without two key players, Notre Dame won the game 27–10. USC was ranked #2 at the time.

Fiesta Bowl Victory

Notre Dame had a fantastic season, beating many top-ranked teams. They played against #3 ranked West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl. Notre Dame won 34–21. This victory secured the school's 11th national championship. The team was considered one of the best in college football history.

Contending for Another Title (1989)

In 1989, Notre Dame was again trying to win the national championship. Tony Brooks was suspended for the whole season. So, Coach Holtz moved Watters back to tailback, which is another name for running back.

Watters played very well in his new role. Notre Dame was ranked #1 for most of the season. They lost to Miami in their last regular season game. The Irish then beat #1 ranked Colorado 21–6 in the Orange Bowl. They finished the year ranked #2. Watters was the team's second-best rusher that season.

Professional NFL Career

Ricky Watters played ten seasons in the NFL. He started with the San Francisco 49ers. Then he played for the Philadelphia Eagles, and finally the Seattle Seahawks.

San Francisco 49ers (1991–1994)

The 49ers picked Watters in the second round of the 1991 NFL draft. He missed his first season in 1991 due to injuries. For the next three seasons, he was the starting running back for the 49ers. During these years, San Francisco's offense was the best in the NFL.

The 49ers reached the NFC Championship Game in 1992 and 1993. They lost both times to the Dallas Cowboys. But in 1994, they finally beat Dallas. This led them to a Super Bowl championship.

In a playoff game in 1994, Watters set an NFL record. He scored five rushing touchdowns in one game. The 49ers easily beat the New York Giants 44–3. His 30 points in that game set a record for most points by one player in a playoff game. This record still stands today.

In Super Bowl XXIX, Watters scored three touchdowns. This helped San Francisco win 49–26 against the San Diego Chargers. He tied a Super Bowl record shared by other great players like Roger Craig and Jerry Rice.

Philadelphia Eagles (1995–1997)

Watters joined the Philadelphia Eagles in 1995. He became well-known in Philadelphia for a quote he made. After his first game, he was asked why he didn't try harder to catch a pass. He replied, "For who? For what?" This quote became famous.

However, he quickly became a very good player for the Eagles. In 1996, he led the league in total yards from scrimmage. He helped Philadelphia reach the playoffs twice. In his three seasons with the Eagles, he played every game. He rushed for 3,794 yards and scored 31 rushing touchdowns.

Seattle Seahawks (1998–2001)

In 1998, Watters joined the Seattle Seahawks. He played with them until he retired in 2001. He finished his NFL career with 10,643 rushing yards. He also had 4,248 receiving yards and 91 total touchdowns.

As of 2011, Watters was one of only two NFL running backs to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season for three different teams. The other player was Willis McGahee. Watters has been considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a semifinalist in 2020 and 2022.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season Stats