Ricky Watters
A versatile and outspoken running back whose 'For Who, For What?' mantra defined an era of brash, productive NFL stardom.
Born 1969 (age 57)·American football player·Birthday: April 7·Generation X
Biography
Ricky Watters didn't just run through holes; he announced his presence with a blend of shifty elusiveness, reliable hands, and a flair for the dramatic. Emerging from the University of Notre Dame, he exploded onto the NFL scene as a key weapon for the San Francisco 49ers' high-octane offense, helping them secure a Super Bowl XXIX victory. His career, however, is most remembered for his prolific five-year stint with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he became the workhorse engine of the offense and a lightning rod for controversy. His famous 'For Who, For What?' comment after avoiding a dangerous hit in a 1995 game became a cultural touchstone, debated as either a candid moment of self-preservation or a symbol of selfish play. Regardless, his production was undeniable: a rare 'triple-threat' back who excelled at rushing, receiving, and even returning kicks, leaving a legacy as one of the most complete and talked-about backs of the 1990s.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Ricky was born in 1969, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ricky Was Born
The biggest hits of 1969
#1 Movie
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Best Picture
Midnight Cowboy
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Ricky's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1969Born
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1974Started school
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1982Became a teenager
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Could drive
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1987Could vote
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Turned 21
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1999Turned 30
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 40
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 50
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 57 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won Super Bowl XXIX as a starting running back for the San Francisco 49ers.
- Recorded over 10,000 rushing yards and 14,000 total yards from scrimmage in his NFL career.
- One of only three players in NFL history to score a touchdown four different ways (rush, reception, return, fumble recovery) in a single season.
- Selected to five consecutive Pro Bowls (1992–1996).
Did You Know?
He scored a touchdown in his first NFL game, preseason game, and Super Bowl appearance.
Watters was a standout track athlete in high school, competing in the long jump and sprinting events.
He played in the same Notre Dame backfield as future NFL star Jerome Bettis.
After football, he became a certified yoga instructor.
“For who? For what?”
