Faithful Flashbacks #21: Ricky Watters’ Record Day

In honor of the San Francisco 49ers celebrating their 80th anniversary, Sactown Sports is kicking off a countdown of the 80 greatest moments in the franchise’s illustrious history in reverse order called Faithful Flashbacks.

From Super Bowl-winning plays to overperforming teams that had minimal expectations, there’s plenty to choose from the team with five titles under its belt.

The voting was conducted by a handful of Sactown Sports’ staffers before results were compiled into a full list that will count down to the 49ers’ 2026 NFL regular season debut against the Rams in Melbourne, Australia, on September 10th.

Coming in at No. 21 on our ‘Faithful Flashbacks’ countdown of the 80 best moments in franchise history is Ricky Watters’ five-touchdown playoff game against the New York Giants.

The 49ers were still one of the NFC’s top teams in the early 1990s, but the conference had become harder to get through. Dallas had taken control of the NFC rivalry at the top, and San Francisco was trying to work its way back to the Super Bowl after years as the standard.

Watters ended up becoming an important part of that push. He had moved into a bigger role in the offense after being drafted by the 49ers in 1991, giving San Francisco a back who could be involved in multiple ways. With Steve Young at quarterback, Jerry Rice still producing and George Seifert’s team trying to keep its championship window open, the 49ers had enough offensive talent to create problems from several spots.

The divisional-round matchup against the Giants was probably the most memorable game of Watters’ career. San Francisco controlled the afternoon almost from the start, and Watters kept finishing drives. He scored five rushing touchdowns, setting an NFL single-game playoff record and giving the 49ers one of the most lopsided postseason wins in franchise history.

The 44-3 final score reflected how dominant San Francisco was. Watters had five touchdowns himself, while the Giants didn’t manage any as a team.

More than just a few highlight moments, the performance was more about Watters repeatedly being the answer near the goal line. Each time the 49ers got close, they trusted him with the ball and came away with points.

The win sent the 49ers into the NFC Championship Game, where they again ran into the Cowboys. A loss to them kept the 1993 season from becoming the one San Francisco wanted, but Watters’ day against the Giants still stands on its own.

In a franchise history filled with playoff performances from Hall of Fame quarterbacks, top receivers and famous defensive moments, Watters owns one of the clearest individual records. Five touchdowns in one playoff game is enough to stay remembered, even from a season that ended one win short of the Super Bowl.

More Faithful Flashbacks from Sactown Sports

• Faithful Flashbacks #23: Frank Gore’s Rushing Record
• Faithful Flashbacks #24: Trading for Steve Young
• Faithful Flashbacks #25: Kaepernick’s First Start
• Faithful Flashbacks #26: Return of the Faithful
• Faithful Flashbacks #27: Trading for Christian McCaffrey
• Faithful Flashbacks #28: Steve Young’s First MVP

Upcoming San Francisco 49ers Schedule

• Late July 2026 – NFL Training Camps open
• Thursday, September 10th – vs. Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia (Season Opener) – 5:35 pm PT
• Sunday, September 20th – vs. Miami Dolphins – 1:25 pm PT
• Sunday, September 27th – vs. Arizona Cardinals – 1:05 pm PT
• Sunday, October 4th – vs. Denver Broncos – 1:25 pm PT

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