.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally dealing with the Minnesota Vikings prior to switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent panelist on Around the Horn as well as hold of Utmost Full week Ever Before on ESPN Radio. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She recently worked at the San Jose Mercury Information as a multimedia sporting activities journalist.By the moment Devin Hester went back to his native South Fla for the biggest game of his lifestyle in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was actually effectively on his method to becoming the most effective yield professional in NFL history.The former second-round choice, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had presently gained first-team All-Pro acknowledgment and Pro Dish tributes due to the opportunity the Bears accelerated to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned an occupation- and also league-high 47 punts with three leading to goals in 2006. He likewise returned 2 kickoffs for touchdowns and also scored after returning a missed out on field goal 108 backyards versus the New York Giants.The Colts had a lot of movie to examine as they prepared for Chicago's a lot of hazardous tool. They had seen Hester manage a punt back 83 yards for the go-ahead goal to top off a 20-point comeback win over the Cardinals. They witnessed him rip past the St. Louis Rams twice in the same activity to notch kickoff gain goals of 94 as well as 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the coin toss inside a rainy Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens and also chosen to get, the Colts sent the position first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 secs to sprint where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' goal, 92 lawns away, all while enjoying themself on the videoboard as he documented the only TD return of a position first in Super Bowl history.The letdown coming from a possible 29-17 loss to the Colts carried out little bit of to vanish the play that draws attention to Hester's Hall of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence is going to be preserved in Canton this weekend break as the very first player elected to the Pro Football Hall of Popularity initially as a kick returner a player that stimulated some of one of the most renowned instants in NFL history.Devin Hester actually started the Super Dish along with a property telephone call Some of the greatest zing returners ever transforms 40 today.( via @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For pair of full weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually assembled a strategy for Hester that revolved around him not touching the round. While the Bears' special teams systems were one of the most eruptive in the league, the Colts positioned 30th in kickoff coverage and 32nd in punt coverage. Listed below is just how that strategy inevitably accepted one of the best interesting plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a hazardous offensive group. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet coverage, profits, they possessed the best special teams unit in the NFL. Pub none. As well as the most effective returner, most likely in NFL history." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "Our team were actually kicking to the edges, our team're jumping the sphere, we're squibbing it, we're punting higher, or even our company're punting out of bounds. We mentioned, 'He's not heading to be actually a variable. Our experts presume we can regulate their offense.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his returns for touchdowns were puntings, not essentially kickoffs [Hester came back 3 puntings as well as pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We knew for certain the strategy was don't punt the ball to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 gardens, 45 lawns, out of bounds. Compromise some distance however carry out certainly not let him receive the ball in his palms." Our company thought of it the various other means and really did not wish to sacrifice a ton of yardage on kickoff things, therefore due to the fact that our company've got a number of our starters therein, permit's try to pin him in a corner as well as observe if our experts can easily overload that edge and also make an effort to minimize his yield. Our team engaged in that all full week long. It wasn't also like our experts were actually fretted to kick a touchback. Our experts were actually even more worried concerning hitting it over in the corner, and also if he captures it at the 2- or even 3-yard line yet it is actually truly near to the sideline, at that point our company might make an effort to package him in a little bit." Reid: "The strategic plan was our experts are actually certainly not going to boot to him. He is actually too unsafe." Times just before the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "One of our chaplains offered a chapel service before the video game and also referred to David as well as Giant and said, 'The cause David prospered is he had not been terrified. All the various other Israelites were afraid of Giant.' So I started believing, am I placing concern in to our fellas' souls? Am I playing this incorrect? We can not hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as stunned as any individual that the Colts were actually stopping to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the settle back and also brought in past. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I altered my thoughts and also mentioned if our team drop the throw, our team're heading to begin. We are actually visiting boot it to him, and also I wish you to decrease as well as extra pound him. As well as when our experts knock their champ down, that is actually visiting send a message much like David." I talked about it along with Russ Purnell, our unique staffs instructor, and of course he mentioned our experts can easily deal with, our experts may do this. Our company'll obtain him in the Super Bowl. Everybody intends to have their moment. Nobody intends to go out there certainly and also only claim, 'Hey, we weren't aspect of this, or even our experts really did not contribute.' So it was actually reciprocal, yet in the end of the day, it was my selection." Reid: "Two or even 3 times just before the video game I moved the men to persuade Train Dungy. I claimed, 'We may handle him. We'll be actually fine.' You can inform [Dungy] worried regarding doing it, however he feels like: 'OK, I trust you individuals.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique crews coordinator: "Every activity that our experts had, it was actually consistently a question of that's mosting likely to boot to him, who isn't heading to boot to him. We knew that they had actually discussed certainly not kicking to him, however our company regularly supposed as a personnel that they were actually going to boot to us in the Super Dish even if it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I told them Saturday night. I claimed, 'They are actually mosting likely to kick the ball right to us.'" An unanticipated storm moved into the Miami area on video game day as well as poured virtually one inch of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 watched Hester and the Bears kickoff profit crew trot onto the field to receive the position zing after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a newbie, his peace of mind when he took the industry was unreal. Our company took a lot of satisfaction in blocking out for him. Unique staffs wasn't a duty. It failed to believe that you were actually being actually reprimanded for not being a starter. Any time you tromped the field with him in the gain video game, it resembled, 'Male, our company can take it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears security: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I bear in mind seeing all these flashes click when the sphere is being kicked off. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Ending to the game coming from the storage locker space experienced unique. I've certainly never felt just about anything like it. It felt like the motion pictures. There were Classical candle lights being shot up plus all the cinders were actually coming down in slow mo. It entirely possessed me bugged out. I got to the subsidiary and also it was like, 'Whoa, what only taken place?' And afterwards our experts win the piece throw and also our experts are actually obtaining. Discuss an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I claimed if it enters completion zone, obtain that ball for him. That's what resided in my thoughts due to the fact that it was never done, had actually never ever been actually performed before." Vinatieri: "Honestly it never entered my thoughts that he will jog a sphere back for a goal. It actually failed to. I've had 2 of all of them in Super Dishes. I booted one to [Green Bay Packers vast receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and he functioned it back for a touchdown. So it occurred to me just before, however at no time was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually mosting likely to take place again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Hall of FameThe Hall of Fame Activity between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be actually aired on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 participates in that define Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney places spin on tradition u2022 Mongo's match, experience to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't horrendous when our company performed it. I assumed, our experts'll place him in the edge, our company'll confront him inside the 25 and our company'll experience respectable regarding ourselves. Which is actually never what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that emerged of my mouth [when he viewed the sphere headed his method] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and added industry to the 20. The closest a Colts guardian will get to handling him was protection Marlin Jackson, that was ins away from Hester, who increased out of his grasp. The Bears' wedge including Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid generated a space for Hester to blast past the very first wave of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Dish logo and began sprinting alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the industry, I just knew it. That's what he performed. He outran everybody whenever he did that. The middle of the industry was actually golden for Devin. They didn't desire to boot it down the center to Devin, but they relatively were thinking about it too much, and also if you presume you're beat. If they kick it down the middle of the field, I recognized he was visiting rating." I always kept discussing him being in his lawn [on the broadcast] I believe I pointed out, 'Coming from Riviera Seashore to the greatest stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are foolish.'" Harris: "I remember attacking a fella, it was possibly around the little Super Dish logo. I chipped this individual as well as type of saw [Devin] showing off by. And also when I turned around and also I viewed he was out plus all the Colts white jackets chasing him, I claimed, 'Okay, I have actually come to go satisfy him.' So I simply took off on a dead sprint since I recognized he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "Once he got past our 1st wave of men, then our team possess a safety on each side and me between. I knew I was also far from him. If I can get close enough to him to a minimum of sluggish him down, possibly the interest could come to him. However he juked the piss away from me, as well. That's the important things about Devin. When he possesses a little bit of room, with that said dream, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 lawns for a touchdown with the position kickoff in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged and didn't touch him in any way, I felt like 'damn.' It is actually comical since after one play, my jacket is dirtier than anybody's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually excessive open industry, so I recognized best at that point as well as there [after Vinatieri's attempt] It had not been a scenario where I was affixed to a subsidiary and possessed the sideline antagonizing me. Our experts were in the available field, so I knew he wasn't going to acquire me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down as well as Devin sought out. I was actually asking yourself why he was actually seeking out later to learn that he was looking at themself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him and also only stumbled him up and also he tumbled into the end zone for the goal." The Bears' drive would advance the upcoming drive as they opened a 14-6 lead, however the Colts took management in the 2nd sector for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company started the video game along with a touchdown and also our company believed it was going to be actually an ass-whipping. Actually didn't find yourself that way, although we came out and also our company acquired a pick right afterwards, too. We presumed our experts had all type of momentum then and afterwards obviously it wound up changing on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I think the a single thing about that was it was actually the very first play of the video game. That really worked in our benefit given that if it was actually anything beyond that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it would certainly feel like, 'Oh my God!' It would certainly be actually a hard trait to bounce back from." Yet our company had 4 fourths to recuperate and also place that behind us. Therefore, for our company it was actually sort of like, 'Okay, our experts tried. Embarassment on our company and after that we may keep it moving right now.' Since in the long run, we knew offensively we were actually mosting likely to score greater than seven factors, as well as I recognized defensively our experts were mosting likely to maintain all of them coming from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their entire staff is actually ignited as well as thrilled. Now when they kick off to our company, their defense is actually visiting be happening a thousand kilometers a hr due to the fact that the energy is actually currently on their side ... but the simple fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 moments left behind in the video game, we understood it wasn't over whatsoever. Our team felt in one's bones that this is the fella that is going to wreck the game for us if our team don't protect against that. And also obviously simply checking out that 1st play was actually evidence of that. Allow's not boot him yet another sphere." Gilmore: "They acquired wise as well as made a decision to boot it to John Gilmore. I had pair of gains during that video game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Owner resulted in this record.