Ricky Watters (right) with his parents Jim and Marie, in the early 1990s.
It’s been more than 20 years since Ricky Watters retired from the NFL. His life now is no better, no worse than it was then, only different.
The Harrisburg native has adjusted quite nicely to a life of not playing the game he still loves. But that doesn’t mean that the transition wasn’t a challenge or that it didn’t take time.
Watters now resides in the San Francisco area, and his life is filled with a growing family, mentoring at-risk youth and public speaking. He also recently launched a new self-help business venture, Impact Wellness.
It’s all fairly typical post-retirement stuff for a former professional athlete in his early 50s, following a not-so-typical lifestyle over the first half. If anything, Watters’ current existence is less centralized and more rounded.
“It definitely took a while to adjust,” Watters said. “Nothing can replace the high from playing or having people cheer for you. It was a tough situation. I’m not really sure how long it took to adjust to life after football. But it’s tough for everyone.”
Watters extracted the most he could out of a 10-year career in the NFL, first with the San Francisco 49ers, then the Philadelphia Eagles and, finally, the Seattle Seahawks, from 1992 to 2001.
An extremely durable running back, Watters posted 2,622 career carries for 10,643 rushing yards and 70 total touchdowns. He enjoyed the type of playing career that created discussions about a possible induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“I played for three great organizations,” Watters said. “But I’d have to say our Super Bowl victory with the 49ers (in 1995) has to be the highlight. As far as football goes, I still love the game. I always watch my three teams play.”
In 2001, the grueling physicality of the NFL began to take its toll on Watters’ body, and his carries and productivity fell off. It’s a physical investment that the former Bishop McDevitt star is still paying off today.
“It was injuries,” he said. “I didn’t want to stop playing, but we had a new baby on the way. It’s always tough to retire. But I knew it was time to hang it up.”
Badge of Honor
After accomplishing nearly everything a scholastic player could at Bishop McDevitt in the mid-1980s, Watters went on to star at Notre Dame. He helped the Fighting Irish to a 34-21 victory over West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl and the 1988 national championship.
“Even though I experienced some great moments throughout my career, my mind always takes me back to my championship team at Bishop McDevitt,” Watters said. “At Bishop McDevitt, they taught me how to grind. My teammates were always there for me when I wasn’t so strong and I didn’t know who I was.”
Adopted as an infant, Watters began playing football in Harrisburg as a Pee Wee around the age of 8. His Harrisburg upbringing fostered his appreciation for the family unit, as well as empathy for at-risk kids.
At some point, “buying a house for my mom” became a professional goal, he said.
“Ricky was the most motivated, the most competitive person I’ve ever met,” said Sean Barowski, Watters’ backfield mate at Bishop McDevitt. “And that has played out in his life. He was amazing. In high school, you just knew. Competitiveness can be taken the wrong way, as cocky or conceited, but he was just a winner.”
Geographically, San Francisco is 2,429 miles from Harrisburg, but, because it remains so close to his heart, Watters’ hometown is never far from his mind.
“Harrisburg will always be my roots,” Watters said. “They backed me before I was Ricky ‘Running’ Watters. Back then, I was ‘Skinny’ Ricky Watters. I have a lot of pride about being from Harrisburg. I’m glad I was able to get out, but I’ll always wear it like a badge of honor.”
Outsiders know Ricky Watters as a former football player. But it wasn’t until Watters fully discovered himself as a person that he could allow others to know him.
“I appreciate what football did for me,” he said. “It made me mentally disciplined, physically disciplined, and taught me the value of teamwork. It’s a tough sport, and you take your lumps. I think people know my passion for the game. But I think, off the field, I’m just as passionate for my community.”
Reflective, moral and mature, Watters is in a really good place right now personally. It’s an evolution that can be traced more to his foundation than the playing of any game.
“He’s just a stand-up guy,” said Barowski. “He’s an incredible father and husband. They’re an incredible family. He’s fit into the society the way all former NFL players do. He’s competitive in everything he does, chess, checkers, basketball. It’s just in his blood.”
“As long as I’m still living, I’m going to make a difference,” Watters said. “That’s what it’s all about for me now. You have to learn every day, stay positive and always work on yourself. Just when you think you’ve gotten past one challenge, another one comes along. But the most important thing to know is that everyone has talent.”
For more information on Impact Wellness, visit www.impact-wellness.com.
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