Ricky Watters
Teams
San Francisco 49ers (1992-1994)
Philadelphia Eagles (1995-1997)
Seattle Seahawks (1998-2001)
Playoffs
Appearances - 6 (1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1999)
Conf Champ Games - 3 (1992,1993,1994)
Super Bowls - 1 (1994)
Championships - 1 (1994)
Awards and Honors
Pro Bowl - 5 (1992,1993,1994,1995,1996)
All-Time Ranks
Rushing Touchdowns - #23
Rushing Yards - #24
Scrimmage Yards - #27
Rushing Yards per Game - #29
Total Touchdowns - #35
League Leads
Rushing Yards (#4-1996, #6-1995, #9-1998,1999, #10-1997)
Rushing Touchdowns (#2-1993, #3-1996, #4-1995, #5-1992,1998)
Yards per Rush (#2-1992, #7-1993, #9-2000)
Rushing Yards per Game (#4-1996, #7-1995, #9-1992,1993)
Total Touchdowns (#4-1993, #6-1992,1994, #7-1996)
Scrimmage Yards (#1-1996, #5-1994,2000, #7-1995,1997, #8-1992,1998, #9-1999)
Yards per Touch (#9-1992)
Ricky Watters was switched from wide receiver to running back halfway through his college career, right after winning a national championship, and though he only rushed for 1814 in 4 college seasons, he was drafted in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.
Watters missed the entire 1991 season due to injury, but moved right into the starting role when he returned in 1992. He gained 1013 rushing yards as a rookie, and gained 4.9 yards per carry, and the 49ers reached the NFC title game, where they fell to the Cowboys.
In his second season, he again helped lead the 49ers to the NFC championship game, setting an NFL record in the Divisional round with 5 touchdowns against the Giants, a postseason record that still stands. They fell one game short of the Super Bowl again, but not because of Watters.
In his 3rd season with the 49ers, his yardage dropped to only 877 on the season, though he made up for it with 719 receiving yards, the best of his career. That year the 49ers finally broke through and beat the Cowboys to reach the Super Bowl, and in that win Watters scored 3 touchdowns, which is tied for the most in a single Super Bowl with 5 other players.
He left San Fran after the championship to join the Eagles as a free agent. He set new personal bests in rushing yards and scrimmage yards in each of his first two seasons with Philadelphia, leading the league in scrimmage yards in 1996 with 1855 yards. That season was his 5th in a row in which he made the Pro Bowl, starting from his rookie season. It would also be the last time it happened.
Watters played one more season with the Eagles before leaving for Seattle. While he continued to pile up yardage with the Seahawks, gaining just over 1200 yards in 3 straight seasons with the team, he was requiring more carries to reach those numbers, gaining under 4 yards per carry in the first two years with the team. He ended up retiring after the 2001 season after only being able to play in 5 games.
Ricky Watters holds the records for most touchdowns in a playoff game and in a Super Bowl, and led the league in scrimmage yards once, and was among the top 10 eight different times in his career. He is #24 all-time in rushing yards, but was not efficient in getting there, averaging just 4.1 yards per carry for his career. Even with the low yards per carry, the sheer volume of what he did in his career makes him one of the greatest of all time.
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