Tag: Ricky Watters

Notre Dame’s all-time Super Bowl team

Who did we get right and who is missing?

The Super Bowl is just over a week away from the Chiefs and Eagles which means Notre Dame could have another former player crowned a Super Bowl champion.  Ian Book is the third string quarterback for the Eagles so he’ll unlikely play, but would certainly receive a ring if they’re to win.

The Irish have been well represented in the Super Bowl historically so I made an all-time team of Notre Dame players based solely off their performances on Super Bowl Sunday.  To make this all-time team doesn’t mean you had the best overall career in the NFL necessarily, as much as you had to perform well in the actual Super Bowl game.

Because of the lack of involvement at some positions, one had to simply appear in a game to earn a spot on this roster.

Here it is, Notre Dame’s all-time Super Bowl roster:

Fred Taylor among 28 semifinalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame

Fred Taylor is a semifinalist for the Hall of Fame for the fourth year in a row.

Jacksonville Jaguars legend Fred Taylor was one of 28 former players who made the cut Tuesday when the Pro Football Hall of Fame whittled down its list of 129 preliminary candidates to its list of semifinalists.

It’s the fourth straight year that Taylor has made it to this round of the Hall of Fame selection process, although he hasn’t yet advanced to the list of finalists.

Among the 101 candidates who didn’t make the cut was former Jaguars wide receiver Jimmy Smith.

The only other semifinalist who played for the Jaguars is wide receiver Torry Holt, who spent 10 seasons with the St. Louis Rams before ending his career with one season in Jacksonville.

Other notable candidates are first-time semifinalists Dwight Freeney, Darrelle Revis, and Joe Thomas. The only other running back on the list is former 49ers, Eagles, and Seahawks player Ricky Watters.

Taylor finished his career with 11,695 rushing yards (over 1,000 yards more than Watters) and is 17th on the all-time rushing list. Frank Gore, Adrian Peterson, and 14 Hall of Famers are the only players above Taylor on the list.

17 former Eagles nominated for 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame class

Brian Westbrook, Donovan McNabb, and Eric Allen are among the 17 former Philadelphia Eagles nominated for the 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame class

The NFL just announced that nine players in their first year of eligibility are among the list of 129 Modern-Era Nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023.

The list of first-time nominees includes running back Chris Johnson, Philadelphia native Jahri Evans, offensive linemen Joe Thomas, defensive lineman Dwight Freeney, linebackers NaVorro Bowman and James Harrison, defensive backs Kam Chancellor and Darrelle Revis, and punter Shane Lechler.

The list of Modern-Era Nominees will be reduced to 25 Semifinalists in November and, from there, to 15 Finalists whose names will be announced in early January.

Here’s the list of 14 former Eagles among the nominees.

Eric Allen, Ricky Watters among former Eagles named semifinalist for HOF class of 2022

Eric Allen, Ricky Watters among former Philadelphia #Eagles named a semifinalist for Pro Football Hall of Fame class 2022

The Pro Football Hall of Fame just announced that seven first-year eligible players are among the 26 Modern-Era Semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022.

The list of candidates for election into the Hall of Fame includes 17 players who were Semifinalists for the Class of 2021.

Players in their first year of eligibility are Anquan Boldin, Devin Hester, Andre Johnson, Robert Mathis, Steve Smith, DeMarcus Ware, and Vince Wilfork.

Two former Eagles players made the list.

49ers draft 2 RBs for first time since 1991

The San Francisco 49ers picked running backs Trey Sermon and Eli Mitchell in the NFL draft.

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The 49ers drafting a running back in the 2021 NFL draft wasn’t a surprise. It was definitely unexpected to see them go that route a second time though. San Francisco drafted Ohio State RB Trey Sermon No. 88 overall, then snagged Louisiana RB Eli Mitchell with the 194th pick. It was the first time since 1991 that the 49ers picked two running backs in the same draft.

In the ’91 draft they picked Ricky Watters out of Notre Dame No. 45 overall, and Sheldon Canley from San Jose State with the No.193 selection.

Neither player suited up for the 49ers during their rookie seasons. Watters wound up having a nice career, including five trips consecutive trips to the Pro Bowl that started in 1992 when he first suited up for San Francisco. He was also a key member of their championship club in 1994. Canley only played one game in 1992 for the Jets.

The 49ers would be thrilled if one of their picks turned into Watters. Given their other needs when Williams came off the board though, he needs to have a much more notable career than Canley.

San Francisco’s penchant for finding top talent at RB in the undrafted free agent market bodes well for their two draft picks, but it’s an awfully big investment they haven’t made in the position in 30 years.

LeSean McCoy has high praise for the Eagles’ Miles Sanders

During his Super Bowl media event, Buccaneers running back LeSean McCoy called Eagles star Miles Sanders the next great franchise back

LeSean McCoy is the Eagles franchise leader in rushing, and as he approaches another Super Bowl appearance, he’s raining down high praise on the guy who shattered all his rookie records.

While appearing in a zoom call with the media at Super Bowl 55, McCoy was asked about Miles Sanders and his two years at the helm carrying the ball for the Eagles.

“I think he’ll be the next franchise back… I think Miles is really, really good. He’s a lot faster than I was. When I watch him play, I think he’s a lot faster than I was, my top speed”

Sanders broke the Eagles rookie record for yards from scrimmage in 2019, passing LeSean McCoy for the most yards rushing in a season by a rookie.

Sanders also set the Eagles rookie record for rushing yards with 818 and caught 50 passes for 509 yards.

Last season, Sanders had 867 yards rushing and 6 touchdowns, along with 197 yards receiving in 12 games played.

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97 Days Until Notre Dame Football (We Hope)

We’re 97 days from Notre Dame football returning, at least we hope. Get hyped for the Irish with your fact about 97 in ND lore now!

The countdown continues!

In 97 days (we hope) Notre Dame will return to the football field for Season 133 when the Irish take on Navy in a Week Zero affair.  Whether that game is played in Dublin, Washington, DC or in Annapolis, we’ll be even more excited than normal for it to get here.

Each day from now until Notre Dame kicks off the year we’ll count down the days with the number and why it’s significant in the history of Notre Dame football.

Saturday it was Josh Adams record touchdown run that got us through the 98 day mark.

Today we go back to special teams for the second time in the last three days.

97:  The longest punt return in Notre Dame football history, Ricky Watters against SMU in 1989.

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I was always told to never field a punt inside the ten yard line, let alone inside the five.  For some reason I don’t think Lou Holtz was too upset when Watters chose to return this one 97 yards against SMU in 1989.

Notre Dame – Way Too Early Game by Game Predictions for 2020

Will the Seattle Seahawks have a Hall of Famer in 2021?

Now that Steve Hutchinson and Edgerrin James are both in, who will be the next Seattle Seahawks player or coach to make the Hall of Fame?

On Saturday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the five modern-era enshrinees in the Class of 2020, and two former Seattle Seahawks — guard Steve Hutchinson and running back Edgerrin James — were among those selected.

Hutchinson becomes the fifth Seahawks draft pick to join the Hall, and he and James are the 11th and 12th players who suited up for the Seahawks to get inducted.

James and Hutchinson were the only two former Seahawks to appear on the 15-man final ballot for the modern-era committee, which makes it harder to predict who will be the team’s next representative in the Hall.

Seattle had six other representatives among the 122 nominees for the Class of 2020: quarterback Dave Krieg; center Ray Donaldson; punter Jeff Feagles; and running backs Shaun Alexander, Ricky Watters and Chris Warren.

However, only Watters advanced to the round of 25 semifinalists, and he was not among the 15 finalists.

Without any former Seahawks expected to join the ballot as newcomers next year, it looks like Watters is the team’s best chance at having a new modern-era Hall of Famer in 2021.

Of course, with Peyton Manning and Charles Woodson locks to get in on their first ballot and Calvin Johnson also up for consideration, it will be an extremely difficult year for Watters or any of the other former Seahawks to get enshrined.

That doesn’t mean they’ll be without a representative, however — both Mike Holmgren and Tom Flores, two former Seattle coaches, will be up for consideration again. It seems far more likely the Seahawks will have a former coach inducted in 2021 rather than a former player.

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Notre Dame Football: National and Super Bowl Champs

As we sit just days away from the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers strapping up to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, we’ll be having some sporatic fun here at Fighting Irish Wire in terms of former Notre Dame players and coaches who have had an impact on “The Big Game”.

Notre Dame has had a rich history not only in the NFL but in the NFL’s biggest game, the Super Bowl.

As we sit just days away from the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers strapping up to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, we’ll be having some sporatic fun here at Fighting Irish Wire in terms of former Notre Dame players and coaches who have had an impact on “The Big Game”.

Let’s start this by having a list in regards to Notre Dame trivia:

Are you aware that 10 players have won a national championship at Notre Dame and gone on to win a Super Bowl?

How many can you name?

It’s not an official Sporcle quiz, but perhaps it should be.

We’ll go in chronological order.  Feel free to pass along and share with your biggest Notre Dame/NFL Fan friends:

The first happened in Super Bowl IV, a Kansas City Chief

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9, Page 10, Page 11

49ers RB Raheem Mostert joins 2 other former Eagles as the only players in NFL history with 4 or more rushing TD’s in playoff game

49ers RB Raheem Mostert joins 2 other former Eagles as the only players in NFL history with 4 or more rushing TD’s in a playoff game

Rahee Mostert got caught up in a numbers game when he was a member of the Eagles, Dolphins, Ravens, Browns, Jets, and Bears and never got a chance to even carry the ball in the NFL until he landed on his seventh team, the San Francisco 49ers.

It’s safe to say that Mostert has found a home in San Franciso and cemented his place in NFL history after single handily dismantling the Green Bay Packers through three-quarters of the NFC Championship game.

Mostert currently has 19 carries for 196 yards and 4 touchdowns and in doing so, he just passed Colin Kaepernick (2012) for the most rush yards in a postseason game in 49ers team history.

With is four touchdowns, Mostert joins two other Philadelphia Eagles running backs, LeGarrette Blount and Ricky Watters as the only players in NFL history with 4 or more rushing TD in a playoff game.