.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, actually covering the Minnesota Vikings just before changing to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a regular panelist on Around the Horn as well as range of Best Full week Ever Before on ESPN Radio. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She earlier worked at the San Jose Mercury Information as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester went back to his native South Florida for the most significant video game of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was actually properly on his way to coming to be the best yield specialist in NFL history.The former second-round pick, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually actually gotten first-team All-Pro acknowledgment and Pro Dish tributes by the time the Bears progressed to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a career- and also league-high 47 puntings along with three causing touchdowns in 2006. He additionally came back pair of firsts for goals and scored after coming back an overlooked field goal 108 gardens versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts possessed loads of movie to research as they organized Chicago's most hazardous item. They had seen Hester manage a punting back 83 gardens for the go-ahead touchdown to cover off a 20-point revival sway the Cardinals. They witnessed him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the exact same game to scratch first yield goals of 94 and 96 lawns, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece shake inside a rainy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and elected to acquire, the Colts delivered the position kickoff right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 secs to sprint from where he dealt with Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal, 92 lawns away, all while enjoying himself on the videoboard as he captured the only TD yield of an opening first in Super Bowl history.The letdown coming from a possible 29-17 loss to the Colts did little to fade the play that accentuates Hester's Venue of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact is going to be actually preserved in Canton this weekend break as the very first gamer selected to the Pro Regulation Football Venue of Prominence first and foremost as a zing returner a player that sparked among the best iconic instants in NFL history.Devin Hester really began the Super Dish along with a home telephone call Among the greatest kick returners ever switches 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For two weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had actually created a strategy for Hester that hinged on him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' special teams units were actually the best explosive in the league, the Colts rated 30th in kickoff coverage and also 32nd in punt protection. Listed here is actually exactly how that program ultimately accepted among the most interesting plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a harmful offensive staff. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. But coverage, return, they possessed the most effective special teams device in the NFL. Bar none. And the most effective returner, most likely in NFL record." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "Our experts were kicking to the edges, our company're jumping the round, we're squibbing it, our team're punting high, or our team're punting away from bounds. We stated, 'He is actually not going to be a variable. Our experts believe our experts may control their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his profits for goals were actually punts, certainly not always kickoffs [Hester returned three punts and pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood without a doubt the strategic plan was do not punt the ball to him. Attempt to punt it 40 yards, 45 backyards, out of bounds. Compromise some distance yet carry out certainly not let him obtain the sphere in his hands." We thought of it the other method as well as failed to wish to give up a lot of yardage on first things, therefore due to the fact that our team've acquired a number of our beginners therein, let's attempt to pin him in a corner and also see if we may overload that edge and attempt to lessen his profit. Our team exercised that all week long. It had not been also like our team were actually stressed to kick a touchback. Our team were more interested concerning reaching it over in the section, and if he catches it at the 2- or even 3-yard line however it is actually actually near to the sideline, then we could attempt to container him in a bit." Reid: "The game plan was our company are actually certainly not mosting likely to boot to him. He's also risky." Times just before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy modified his mind.Dungy: "Some of our pastors offered a chapel company just before the game and also spoke about David and also Giant and stated, 'The factor David was successful is he wasn't frightened. All the other Israelites feared of Giant.' So I began assuming, am I placing concern in to our men' centers? Am I playing this incorrect? Our company can not hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as surprised as any individual that the Colts were kicking to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the rain fell, Hester took the kick back and made past history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I changed my thoughts and pointed out if our team drop the shake, our experts are actually visiting start. Our team are actually going to kick it to him, and also I want you to drop and also pound him. And when our company knock their champ down, that is actually going to deliver an information just like David." I talked about it with Russ Purnell, our special crews train, as well as of course he said our experts can cover, our team can possibly do this. We'll receive him in the Super Bowl. Everyone would like to have their second. No one would like to go out there as well as just point out, 'Hey, we weren't part of this, or even we failed to assist.' So it was mutual, yet by the end of the day, it was my selection." Reid: "2 or even 3 days before the game I rallied the people to persuade Coach Dungy. I stated, 'Our experts can handle him. We'll be actually fine.' You could possibly say to [Dungy] felt uneasy regarding doing it, yet he resembles: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive groups coordinator: "Every game that our experts possessed, it was regularly a concern of that is actually mosting likely to kick to him, that isn't heading to boot to him. We knew that they had discussed certainly not booting to him, yet we constantly assumed as a team that they were actually mosting likely to boot to us in the Super Dish even if it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I told them Sunday night. I claimed, 'They are actually visiting kick the ball right to us.'" An unforeseen storm relocated in to the Miami place on game time and also dumped virtually one inch of storm over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the night. A group of 74,512 seen Hester as well as the Bears first yield group trot onto the area to obtain the opening zing after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a novice, his assurance when he took the area was actually unbelievable. We took a bunch of honor in blocking out for him. Unique staffs had not been a task. It didn't think that you were actually being reprimanded for certainly not being actually a starter. Any time you tromped the field with him in the yield video game, it was like, 'Guy, our team can easily take it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is pre-smartphones. I keep in mind observing all these flashes click when the ball is actually being actually kicked off. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Ending to the activity from the locker space felt surreal. I have actually never ever felt anything like it. It felt like the films. There were Classical candle lights being skyrocketed plus all the embers were boiling down in slow mo. It completely possessed me badgered out. I came to the subsidiary and it felt like, 'Whoa, what only occurred?' And afterwards we gain the coin toss and our experts're obtaining. Discuss an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment supervisor: "I said if it enters the end zone, obtain that ball for him. That's what remained in my mind due to the fact that it was never ever carried out, had actually never been carried out prior to." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it never ever entered my mind that he would certainly jog a round back for a goal. It really didn't. I have actually possessed two of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Eco-friendly Gulf Packers broad receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he operated it back for a goal. So it occurred to me just before, but at no time was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually mosting likely to take place once more.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Hall of FameThe Venue of Prominence Activity in between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will certainly be televised on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of plays that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney puts spin on legacy u2022 Mongo's fight, journey to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't horrendous when our company performed it. I presumed, our company'll put him in the corner, our company'll confront him inside the 25 as well as our company'll really feel good regarding our own selves. Which is actually absolutely not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that appeared of my mouth [when he viewed the sphere moved his way] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and also raised field to the 20. The closest a Colts defender will come to handling him was actually security Marlin Jackson, that was ins away from Hester, that sped up out of his comprehension. The Bears' block being composed of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid made a gap for Hester to blow past the initial wave of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Bowl company logo and started sprinting parallel to 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 performed. He beat everybody whenever he did that. The center of the industry was actually gold for Devin. They failed to wish to kick it down the center to Devin, however they apparently were considering it too much, and if you assume you're defeated. If they kick it down the center of the industry, I knew he was mosting likely to rating." I kept speaking about him remaining in his lawn [on the program] I believe I mentioned, 'From Riviera Seaside to the most significant stage in sports, Devin Hester, you are actually ridiculous.'" Harris: "I remember striking a man, it was actually probably around the little Super Dish company logo. I damaged this person as well as kind of saw [Devin] showing off by. As well as when I reversed as well as I viewed he was out and all the Colts white colored shirts chasing him, I claimed, 'Okay, I have actually got to go fulfill him.' So I only removed on a dead sprint due to the fact that I recognized he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "The moment he surpassed our first wave of fellas, then we possess a safety and security on each edge and me in between. I knew I was actually too away from him. If I can get close enough to him to at least slow-moving him down, perhaps the pursuit could possibly come to him. But he outwited the piss away from me, too. That is actually the thing regarding Devin. When he possesses a bit of space, with that vision, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 backyards for a touchdown along with the position kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged as well as really did not touch him in all, I felt like 'damn.' It is actually comical because after one play, my jersey is actually dirtier than anybody's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was a lot of available field, so I recognized best after that and also there [after Vinatieri's effort] It wasn't a scenario where I was pinned to a sideline and had the subsidiary antagonizing me. Our experts remained in the open industry, so I knew he wasn't going to receive me." Joniak: "I remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and Devin found. I was actually asking yourself why he was actually finding later on to know that he was actually taking a look at himself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him and also just slipped him up and also he detected the end zone for the touchdown." The Bears' momentum would certainly continue the following ride as they opened a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took management in the second part for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts began the video game with a touchdown and our experts believed it was mosting likely to be an ass-whipping. Definitely failed to find yourself that way, although our company showed up and also we obtained a pick right afterwards, extremely. Our experts presumed our team possessed all type of momentum at that point and afterwards undoubtedly it ended up changing on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I believe the something about that was it was actually the 1st play of the activity. That in fact worked in our perk because if it was everything later than that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it will be like, 'Oh my God!' It would be actually a tough thing to recoup coming from." Yet our experts possessed 4 quarters to recuperate and place that behind us. So, for us it was actually kind of like, 'All right, our experts attempted. Shame on our company and afterwards we may maintain it moving right now.' Due to the fact that ultimately, we knew offensively our company were actually visiting score greater than seven aspects, and I recognized defensively our team were actually mosting likely to maintain them coming from counting." Vinatieri: "Their entire team is actually ignited as well as excited. Right now when they kick off to our company, their protection is visiting be happening a thousand miles an hour due to the fact that the energy is currently on their side ... however the fact that there was still 59 1/2 moments left behind in the activity, we knew it wasn't over whatsoever. Our experts felt in one's bones that this is actually the guy that will certainly damage the ready our team if our team do not prevent that. And also clearly only checking out that very first play was actually evidence of that. Permit's certainly not boot him one more ball." Gilmore: "They got intelligent and chose to kick it to John Gilmore. I possessed 2 yields during that video game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the opening first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder supported this document.