Ricky Nattiel Richard Rennard Nattiel ( born January 25 , 1966 ) , nicknamed " Ricky the Rocket , " is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League ( NFL ) for six seasons during the 1980s and 1990s . Nattiel played college football for the University of Florida , and thereafter , he played professionally for the Denver Broncos of the NFL . Early life . Nattiel was born in Gainesville , Florida in 1966 . He attended Newberry High School in nearby Newberry , Florida , where he the quarterback for the Newberry Panthers high school football team . During his senior season in 1982 , Nattiel led his Panthers to a 9 – 1 regular season and two state playoff victories , before the Panthers lost in the Florida Class 2A state semifinal game . Nattiel also played basketball and ran track for the Panthers , and was recognized as an all - county athlete in both . College career . Nattiel received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville , where he was a wide receiver for coach Charley Pell and coach Galen Hall ' s Florida Gators football teams from 1983 to 1986 . Notwithstanding his high school background as a quarterback , he was recruited as a defensive back and possibly as a wide receiver , but necessity his freshman year in 1983 forced the coaches ' choice . When senior Gators receiver Dwayne Dixon was hobbled half way through the season , Nattiel started in his place and established his own reputation as a future star receiver to be watched . Nattiel was a key target of Gators quarterback Kerwin Bell during the 1984 and 1985 seasons , when the Gators posted identical 9 – 1 – 1 overall win - loss records and led the Southeastern Conference ( SEC ) with best - in - the - conference records of 5 – 0 – 1 and 5 – 1 . Memorably , he dashed ninety - six yards on a touchdown pass from Bell in the Gators ' 27 – 0 victory over the rival Georgia Bulldogs in 1984 , contributing to his nickname , " Ricky the Rocket . " Nattiel finished his college career with 117 reception s for 2 , 086 yards and eighteen touchdowns ; he also had 589 yards in punt return s . He was a team captain , a first - team All - SEC selection and a second - team All - American in 1986 , and received the Gators ' Fergie Ferguson Award as the senior who most displayed " outstanding leadership , courage and character . " Nattiel was recognized by the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 1984 and 1986 . He graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor ' s degree in public health in 1987 , and he was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a " Gator Great " in 1998 . Professional career . The Denver Broncos chose Nattiel in the first round ( 27th overall pick ) of the 1987 NFL Draft , and he played for the Broncos in six NFL seasons from to , including eight playoff games and two Super Bowl s . One of the highlights of his professional career was catching a 56 - yard touchdown pass from quarterback John Elway against the Washington Redskins on the Broncos ' first play from scrimmage in Super Bowl XXII . Nattiel and fellow Broncos wide receivers Vance Johnson and Mark Jackson all played together from to and were nicknamed " The Three Amigos . " He finished his six - year NFL career with 121 receptions for 1 , 972 yards and eight touchdowns . Life after the NFL . Nattiel , who is Roman Catholic , was formerly the junior varsity coach and wide receivers coach of the Trinity Catholic High School Celtics football team in Ocala , Florida . When former Celtics head coach Kerwin Bell resigned in 2007 , Nattiel became the head coach of the Celtics for a single season , leading them to a 7 – 5 record and a berth in the Florida State 2B regional playoffs .