Running back Ricky Watters of the Philadelphia Eagles has always wanted to be his team's main man. He led the San Francisco 49ers in rushing for three straight seasons (1992-94) and helped them win Super Bowl XXIX by scoring 3 touchdowns in the big game. Despite his success, Watters's more famous teammates--Steve Young and Jerry Rice--overshadowed him. In 1995, he joined the Philadelphia Eagles, and no one now doubts that he has arrived as one of the best running backs in the National Football League (NFL), especially after leading the league in total yards during the 1996 season.

Growing up

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Richard James Watters was born April 7, 1969, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He was the adopted child of Jim and Marie Watters. The couple had tried for several years to have a child of their own but had been unsuccessful. Watters's biological mother was the daughter of Marie Watters's friend. The couple...