.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, initially covering the Minnesota Vikings prior to switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a regular panelist on Around the Horn and also range of Utmost Full week Ever Before on ESPN Radio. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She previously operated at the San Jose Mercury News as a mixeds media sports journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester came back to his indigenous South Fla for the biggest activity of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was properly on his means to coming to be the best yield specialist in NFL history.The past second-round choice, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually currently earned first-team All-Pro awareness and also Pro Bowl tributes due to the opportunity the Bears accelerated to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a profession- as well as league-high 47 puntings with 3 causing touchdowns in 2006. He likewise returned pair of kickoffs for touchdowns as well as racked up after coming back a missed field goal 108 lawns versus the New York Giants.The Colts possessed a lot of movie to examine as they organized Chicago's many unsafe weapon. They had actually found Hester manage a punt back 83 yards for the green light touchdown to cover off a 20-point comeback win over the Cardinals. They observed him rip past the St. Louis Rams two times in the same video game to notch first profit goals of 94 and 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the coin throw inside a rainy Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens and chosen to receive, the Colts delivered the opening kickoff right in to Hester's grasp.It took him every one of 14 seconds to run where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' goal line, 92 gardens away, all while watching themself on the videoboard as he tape-recorded the only TD yield of a position first in Super Dish history.The disappointment from a resulting 29-17 loss to the Colts performed little to vanish the play that accentuates Hester's Hall of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect will be enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the very first gamer chosen to the Pro Football Venue of Prominence primarily as a kick returner a player who triggered among the best famous instants in NFL history.Devin Hester definitely started the Super Bowl along with a residence phone call One of the best zing returners ever before switches 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For pair of weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had put together a game plan for Hester that revolved around him not touching the ball. While the Bears' unique groups systems were actually the absolute most explosive in the game, the Colts placed 30th in first insurance coverage and 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Listed below is exactly how that program inevitably yielded to some of the best exciting plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective side: "They weren't a hazardous offensive staff. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. But protection, come back, they had the most ideal exclusive groups unit in the NFL. Pub none. As well as the very best returner, probably in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head trainer: "We were actually booting to the sections, our experts're jumping the round, our company are actually squibbing it, we are actually punting higher, or our team're punting out of bounds. Our company said, 'He is actually certainly not heading to be an element. Our experts believe our company can easily handle their offense.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his come backs for goals were actually puntings, not automatically kickoffs [Hester returned three puntings and also two firsts for TDs in 2006] We knew without a doubt the strategic plan was actually do not punt the round to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 yards, 45 backyards, away from bounds. Compromise some span however do not permit him get the sphere in his palms." Our team thought about it the other technique as well as didn't want to give up a lots of yardage on kickoff stuff, thus considering that we've got a couple of our starters therein, allow's make an effort to affix him behind-the-scenes as well as observe if our team may overload that side and also make an effort to reduce his return. Our company practiced that all full week long. It wasn't even like our experts were stressed to kick a touchback. We were additional concerned regarding attacking it over in the edge, and also if he records it at the 2- or 3-yard line but it is actually actually near to the side project, after that our company can try to package him in a bit." Reid: "The strategy was our experts are actually certainly not going to kick to him. He is actually as well hazardous." Times just before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy changed his mind.Dungy: "One of our pastors gave a church solution just before the game and also discussed David and also Giant and said, 'The reason David was successful is he wasn't worried. All the other Israelites were afraid of Giant.' So I began believing, am I placing fear right into our guys' hearts? Am I playing this inappropriate? We can not be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as shocked as anyone that the Colts were stopping to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the storm became, Hester took the kick back and brought in record. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I altered my thoughts and also claimed if our company shed the toss, our team're mosting likely to begin. Our company are actually going to kick it to him, as well as I want you to decrease as well as pound him. As well as when our team take their champ down, that's heading to deliver a message just like David." I discussed it with Russ Purnell, our special teams train, and also of course he said our company may deal with, our company can possibly do this. We'll acquire him in the Super Bowl. Everybody wants to have their minute. No one would like to head out there and only mention, 'Hey, we weren't aspect of this, or our experts really did not support.' So it was actually shared, yet in the end of the time, it was my choice." Reid: "Pair of or even 3 times before the video game I rallied the fellas to entice Train Dungy. I said, 'Our experts can easily handle him. Our experts'll be fine.' You might inform [Dungy] regreted concerning performing it, yet he's like: 'OK, I trust you people.'" Dave Toub, Bears special teams coordinator: "Every game that our team had, it was consistently a question of that's going to boot to him, that isn't visiting boot to him. We understood that they had talked about not kicking to him, however our experts regularly presumed as a workers that they were going to boot to our team in the Super Dish even if it's the Super Bowl." That's what I informed them Sunday night. I stated, 'They're visiting boot the ball right to our team.'" An unexpected storm relocated into the Miami region on activity time and discarded almost one inch of rain over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the night. A group of 74,512 viewed Hester and also the Bears first yield group trot onto the industry to receive the position kick after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a newbie, his confidence when he took the industry was actually unreal. Our team took a great deal of pride in obstructing for him. Exclusive crews had not been a chore. It really did not believe that you were being reprimanded for certainly not being a starter. At any time you stepped on the area along with him in the return video game, it resembled, 'Guy, we may take it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears security: "This is pre-smartphones. I don't forget seeing all these flashes click when the sphere is actually being began. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Going out to the game coming from the storage locker room really felt surreal. I have actually certainly never felt just about anything like it. It was like the flicks. There were actually Roman candles being actually soared plus all the ashes were boiling down in funeral pace. It totally had me pestered out. I got to the side project as well as it resembled, 'Whoa, what just occurred?' And afterwards our company succeed the coin shake and also we are actually obtaining. Refer to an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears tools manager: "I pointed out if it enters the end region, receive that ball for him. That's what remained in my thoughts given that it was actually never ever done, had never ever been carried out before." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it never entered my thoughts that he would run a round back for a touchdown. It actually didn't. I've had 2 of all of them in Super Bowls. I kicked one to [Eco-friendly Gulf Packers broad receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and also he functioned it back for a touchdown. So it happened to me prior to, however at no opportunity was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually visiting happen again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Hall of FameThe Hall of Prominence Activity in between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be actually telecasted on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 plays that define Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney puts twist on legacy u2022 Mongo's battle, adventure to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been fearful when we did it. I assumed, we'll put him in the corner, our experts'll tackle him inside the 25 as well as our experts'll feel good about ourselves. And also is actually absolutely not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that visited of my oral cavity [when he observed the ball headed his way] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and also added industry to the twenty. The closest a Colts defender would certainly get to tackling him was actually safety Marlin Jackson, who was actually inches away from Hester, that accelerated away from his knowledge. The Bears' wedge including Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid generated a void for Hester to blow past the initial surge of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Dish company logo and also started running alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the field, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he carried out. He eluded everyone whenever he performed that. The center of the field was actually golden for Devin. They didn't want to kick it down the center to Devin, however they relatively were thinking about it way too much, and if you think you are actually trumped. If they kick it down the center of the industry, I recognized he was going to credit rating." I kept speaking about him residing in his lawn [on the broadcast] I think I mentioned, 'Coming from Riviera Coastline to the most significant phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are outrageous.'" Harris: "I don't forget striking a person, it was actually perhaps around the little bit of Super Dish logo. I cracked this person as well as sort of saw [Devin] showing off by. And when I turned around as well as I viewed he was actually out plus all the Colts white colored jackets chasing him, I said, 'Okay, I've reached go fulfill him.' So I simply took off on a dead sprint since I knew he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "Once he got past our first surge of fellas, then our experts possess a protection on each side and me in the center. I recognized I was also away coming from him. If I could possibly acquire close sufficient to him to at the very least slow him down, possibly the quest can get to him. Yet he juked the piss away from me, also. That is actually the thing regarding Devin. When he possesses a little of area, with that said dream, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 gardens for a touchdown with the position first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged and didn't touch him whatsoever, I was like 'damn.' It's amusing since after one play, my jersey is actually dirtier than any person's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually way too much open field, so I recognized appropriate at that point as well as certainly there [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a condition where I was actually affixed to a subsidiary and also had the subsidiary antagonizing me. Our company remained in the available field, so I understood he had not been going to receive me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down as well as Devin found. I was asking yourself why he was actually looking up later on to discover that he was checking out himself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and also merely stumbled him up as well as he tumbled into the end area for the touchdown." The Bears' energy would continue the following drive as they opened up a 14-6 top, however the Colts took control in the second area for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts started the activity along with a goal and our experts presumed it was heading to be actually an ass-whipping. Actually didn't end up that way, despite the fact that our experts came out as well as our experts got a selection right afterwards, very. We assumed our experts had all type of momentum then and afterwards certainly it ended up shifting on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I assume the one thing regarding that was it was actually the first play of the game. That really operated in our benefit considering that if it was actually just about anything beyond that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it would certainly feel like, 'Oh my God!' It will be actually a hard factor to recover from." However our company possessed 4 one-fourths to bounce back and also place that responsible for our team. So, for our company it was sort of like, 'Okay, our team attempted. Pity on us and after that our team can maintain it moving now.' Considering that eventually, we knew offensively our company were actually mosting likely to record greater than 7 points, and also I knew defensively our team were going to maintain all of them coming from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire group is ignited as well as excited. Right now when they kick off to us, their protection is actually heading to be actually coming a million kilometers a hr because the drive is actually presently on their edge ... but the simple fact that there was still 59 1/2 mins left behind in the video game, we knew it had not been over whatsoever. Our team felt in one's bones that this is the man that will certainly damage the game for our team if our team do not stop that. As well as definitely just watching that initial play was actually verification of that. Let's not kick him one more ball." Gilmore: "They received clever and also determined to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed pair of returns during that game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder helped in this report.