.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, originally dealing with the Minnesota Vikings prior to shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a regular panelist on Around the Horn and also host of Utmost Week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She previously operated at the San Jose Mercury Headlines as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the time Devin Hester returned to his indigenous South Florida for the most significant game of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was effectively on his method to coming to be the most ideal gain expert in NFL history.The former second-round selection, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually made first-team All-Pro awareness and also Pro Dish respects by the time the Bears accelerated to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned an occupation- and league-high 47 puntings with three resulting in goals in 2006. He likewise came back pair of kickoffs for goals and also racked up after returning a skipped field goal 108 yards versus the New york city Giants.The Colts possessed a lot of film to study as they got ready for Chicago's a lot of unsafe tool. They had seen Hester operate a punt back 83 lawns for the green light goal to top off a 20-point return get the Cardinals. They witnessed him rip past the St. Louis Rams two times in the exact same game to notch kickoff yield touchdowns of 94 as well as 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the piece shake inside a rainy Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens and also chosen to get, the Colts delivered the position kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 seconds to sprint where he handled Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' goal, 92 gardens away, all while viewing themself on the videoboard as he documented the only TD profit of an opening kickoff in Super Bowl history.The frustration coming from an eventual 29-17 loss to the Colts carried out little to fade the play that highlights Hester's Venue of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will certainly be preserved in Canton this weekend as the initial gamer selected to the Pro Football Hall of Prominence primarily as a kick returner a gamer who stimulated some of one of the most well-known seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester really started the Super Dish with a home telephone call Among the best zing returners ever before switches 40 today.( by means of @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For two weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had come up with a strategic plan for Hester that focused on him not touching the sphere. While the Bears' special staffs units were the most explosive in the organization, the Colts ranked 30th in kickoff coverage and also 32nd in punt protection. Listed here is actually exactly how that program ultimately yielded to some of the best thrilling plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't an unsafe offensive team. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. But coverage, come back, they possessed the most ideal exclusive teams system in the NFL. Bar none. And also the most effective returner, possibly in NFL background." Tony Dungy, Colts head trainer: "We were booting to the corners, our experts're jumping the sphere, we're squibbing it, we're punting high, or our experts are actually punting out of bounds. Our company said, 'He is actually certainly not going to be actually an element. Our experts assume our company can regulate their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his profits for touchdowns were punts, certainly not always kickoffs [Hester returned three punts as well as two kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood for certain the strategic plan was do not punt the sphere to him. Try to punt it 40 yards, 45 yards, out of bounds. Compromise some span yet carry out not permit him get the round in his palms." We considered it the various other means as well as failed to would like to lose a lots of yardage on kickoff stuff, thus since our company've obtained a couple of our beginners therein, allow's try to pin him in a corner as well as find if our experts may overload that side and make an effort to minimize his yield. Our team exercised that all full week long. It wasn't also like we were actually stressed to boot a touchback. Our company were additional interested about hitting it over in the section, as well as if he catches it at the 2- or even 3-yard pipe yet it's really near to the side project, then our experts can attempt to box him in a bit." Reid: "The tactical plan was we're not mosting likely to boot to him. He is actually as well dangerous." Times before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy modified his mind.Dungy: "Some of our chaplains provided a chapel solution just before the video game and also talked about David and Giant and also said, 'The cause David prospered is he wasn't scared. All the various other Israelites feared of Goliath.' So I started believing, am I putting fear in to our people' souls? Am I playing this inappropriate? Our team can't be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as stunned as any person that the Colts were actually stopping to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the storm fell, Hester took the sit back as well as made record. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I modified my thoughts as well as claimed if our company drop the shake, we're visiting start. Our team're mosting likely to boot it to him, and also I desire you to go down as well as extra pound him. And also when our team take their champion down, that's heading to deliver a notification just like David." I spoke about it with Russ Purnell, our special staffs instructor, as well as of course he mentioned our company can cover, we can do this. Our company'll get him in the Super Bowl. Everyone would like to have their instant. No one would like to go out there as well as only state, 'Hey, our company weren't part of this, or our experts really did not assist.' So it was actually shared, yet by the end of the time, it was my decision." Reid: "2 or 3 days prior to the game I rallied the people to persuade Train Dungy. I claimed, 'Our company may handle him. Our team'll be actually great.' You could possibly inform [Dungy] regreted regarding performing it, but he resembles: 'OK, I trust you people.'" Dave Toub, Bears special groups planner: "Every game that we possessed, it was regularly a question of that's mosting likely to kick to him, who isn't heading to boot to him. We knew that they had actually referred to not kicking to him, however our company constantly supposed as a personnel that they were actually heading to boot to our team in the Super Bowl even if it's the Super Bowl." That's what I told them Saturday evening. I pointed out, 'They are actually going to boot the sphere right to our team.'" An unanticipated hurricane moved right into the Miami location on activity day and poured virtually one inch of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 viewed Hester and also the Bears kickoff return staff trot onto the field to receive the opening kick following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a rookie, his assurance when he took the area was unreal. We took a considerable amount of pride in obstructing for him. Unique crews wasn't a task. It really did not feel like you were actually being actually punished for not being actually a starter. At any time you tromped the area with him in the gain video game, it was like, 'Guy, we can get it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears security: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I bear in mind finding all these flashes click when the sphere is being actually kicked off. That was actually unbelievable." Gilmore: "Running out to the game coming from the storage locker space felt unique. I've certainly never felt just about anything like it. It resembled the flicks. There were Roman candle lights being soared and all the coal were actually boiling down in slow motion. It completely had me badgered out. I got to the subsidiary and also it resembled, 'Whoa, what only happened?' And after that we win the piece throw and also our experts are actually acquiring. Speak about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I pointed out if it goes in the end region, receive that reception for him. That's what resided in my thoughts considering that it was never ever carried out, had certainly never been carried out before." Vinatieri: "Honestly it certainly never entered my thoughts that he would certainly jog a sphere back for a goal. It really failed to. I've possessed 2 of all of them in Super Dishes. I booted one to [Eco-friendly Gulf Packers wide receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] as well as he operated it back for a goal. So it occurred to me just before, but at no opportunity was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it's visiting happen once more.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Venue of FameThe Hall of Fame Video Game between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be telecasted on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two plays that determine Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney places spin on tradition u2022 Mongo's fight, journey to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't fearful when our team did it. I believed, our company'll put him in the section, our company'll confront him inside the 25 and our company'll feel fair concerning our own selves. Which is actually not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that appeared of my oral cavity [when he observed the ball moved his method] were actually 'Holy s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and raised field to the 20. The closest a Colts defender will come to handling him was security Marlin Jackson, who was inches off of Hester, that accelerated off of his realization. The Bears' block containing Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid produced a gap for Hester to blow past the very first wave of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Dish logo design and started sprinting alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it halfway of the area, I just knew it. That's what he performed. He beat everybody whenever he performed that. The center of the area was actually golden for Devin. They really did not want to kick it down the middle to Devin, but they relatively were actually thinking about it way too much, as well as if you presume you are actually defeated. If they boot it down the middle of the field, I recognized he was visiting score." I kept referring to him residing in his yard [on the show] I feel I claimed, 'From Riviera Seashore to the greatest stage in sports, Devin Hester, you are ridiculous.'" Harris: "I always remember hitting a fella, it was actually most likely around the little Super Dish logo design. I chipped this guy as well as kind of saw [Devin] showing off through. And also when I shifted as well as I viewed he was actually out plus all the Colts white colored jerseys chasing him, I pointed out, 'Okay, I've come to go fulfill him.' So I merely took off on a lifeless sprint given that I knew he was racking up." Vinatieri: "As soon as he surpassed our first surge of people, then we have a security on each edge as well as me in the center. I recognized I was also far coming from him. If I can acquire close enough to him to at least sluggish him down, possibly the pursuit could get to him. But he outwited the piss out of me, too. That is actually the thing regarding Devin. When he possesses a small amount of area, keeping that vision, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 lawns for a touchdown along with the opening first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and really did not touch him whatsoever, I resembled 'damn.' It's funny considering that after one play, my jacket is actually dirtier than anyone's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was a lot of available field, so I recognized right then and certainly there [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a scenario where I was actually pinned to a side project and possessed the side project antagonizing me. Our team were in the open field, so I recognized he wasn't going to obtain me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down as well as Devin sought out. I was actually asking yourself why he was seeking out eventually to discover that he was examining himself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him as well as just slipped him up as well as he detected the end area for the goal." The Bears' momentum would certainly continue the following drive as they opened up a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took command in the 2nd part for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "We started the video game with a goal and also our team believed it was actually mosting likely to be an ass-whipping. Really really did not wind up that way, although our company appeared and our company obtained a selection right after that, too. Our experts assumed we had all sort of drive then and afterwards definitely it found yourself changing on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I presume the one point concerning that was it was actually the very first play of the game. That in fact operated in our perk considering that if it was actually just about anything later than that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it will be like, 'Oh my God!' It would certainly be a tough trait to recuperate from." But our experts possessed four one-fourths to recover as well as put that responsible for us. So, for our team it was actually kind of like, 'All right, we made an effort. Shame on our team and then we may keep it moving currently.' Given that ultimately, we knew offensively our company were visiting count much more than 7 points, as well as I knew defensively our team were mosting likely to maintain them from recording." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire team is actually ignited and also excited. Right now when they kick off to us, their self defense is actually going to be actually coming a million kilometers an hour given that the drive is currently on their side ... but the reality that there was actually still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the game, we knew it had not been over by any means. Our team just knew that this is the guy that will ravage the ready us if our experts don't prevent that. And definitely merely checking out that very first play was actually verification of that. Allow's certainly not boot him another round." Gilmore: "They got wise as well as determined to boot it to John Gilmore. I had two gains because game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the opening first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner supported this record.