.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings just before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and also host of Utmost Week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. 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 returned to his native South Florida for the greatest game of his lifestyle in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was actually properly on his means to coming to be the most effective return professional in NFL history.The past second-round pick, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually already made first-team All-Pro awareness and also Pro Bowl respects by the time the Bears evolved to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back an occupation- as well as league-high 47 punts along with 3 causing goals in 2006. He likewise came back two kickoffs for touchdowns as well as scored after coming back a missed basket 108 lawns versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts possessed loads of film to study as they got ready for Chicago's a lot of harmful weapon. They had viewed Hester operate a punting back 83 gardens for the permission touchdown to top off a 20-point revival draw the Cardinals. They watched him rip past the St. Louis Rams two times in the same game to scratch kickoff gain goals of 94 and also 96 lawns, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the coin shake inside a stormy Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens as well as chosen to receive, the Colts sent the position kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him every one of 14 seconds to dash from where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' end zone, 92 backyards away, all while viewing himself on the videoboard as he captured the only TD return of a position kickoff in Super Bowl history.The frustration coming from a possible 29-17 reduction to the Colts did little to vanish the play that complements Hester's Hall of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence is going to be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend as the initial gamer selected to the Pro Football Venue of Fame first and foremost as a kick returner a player who stimulated among one of the most legendary instants in NFL history.Devin Hester truly started the Super Dish along with a home call Some of the greatest zing returners ever before switches 40 today.( by means of @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For pair of full weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had assembled a strategic plan for Hester that revolved around him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' exclusive teams units were one of the most explosive in the league, the Colts placed 30th in first coverage and also 32nd in punt coverage. Here is exactly how that program inevitably accepted some of the most thrilling plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a harmful aggressive team. They had [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. But insurance coverage, return, they possessed the very best special staffs system in the NFL. Bar none. As well as the best returner, possibly in NFL record." Tony Dungy, Colts head trainer: "Our company were kicking to the edges, our team're jumping the ball, our team are actually squibbing it, our team're punting higher, or even we're punting away from bounds. Our team claimed, 'He's not mosting likely to be actually an element. Our company think our experts can manage their offense.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his returns for goals were punts, not always kickoffs [Hester came back 3 punts as well as pair of kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood without a doubt the strategic plan was do not punt the ball to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 gardens, 45 backyards, away from bounds. Give up some range but perform not let him obtain the ball in his palms." Our experts thought about it the various other way and also really did not intend to compromise a lots of yardage on kickoff stuff, therefore because our company've obtained a number of our beginners therein, permit's try to pin him behind-the-scenes and find if our experts can easily overload that edge as well as try to lessen his profit. Our team performed that all week long. It had not been also like our experts were paniced to kick a touchback. We were additional worried concerning reaching it over in the corner, as well as if he catches it at the 2- or 3-yard line however it is actually really close to the side project, after that our company could attempt to container him in a bit." Reid: "The game plan was our team're not going to kick to him. He is actually too risky." Days prior to the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy modified his mind.Dungy: "Some of our pastors provided a church service before the activity and spoke about David and Giant and mentioned, 'The main reason David succeeded is he wasn't terrified. All the various other Israelites were afraid of Goliath.' So I started assuming, am I putting fear right into our people' centers? Am I playing this incorrect? Our experts can not hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as stunned as any person that the Colts were stopping to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the rainfall became, Hester took the sit back and also made past history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I transformed my mind and pointed out if our experts lose the throw, we are actually going to start. Our experts're heading to kick it to him, as well as I prefer you to decrease as well as extra pound him. And when our experts knock their champion down, that is actually mosting likely to send an information just like David." I referred to it with Russ Purnell, our special teams instructor, and also certainly he mentioned our experts can easily cover, our company can do this. Our team'll acquire him in the Super Dish. Everyone wants to possess their instant. No one wants to go out certainly there and merely point out, 'Hey, our experts weren't aspect of this, or even we failed to contribute.' So it was actually common, however by the end of the day, it was my decision." Reid: "Pair of or three days prior to the activity I rallied the individuals to entice Coach Dungy. I stated, 'Our experts may manage him. Our company'll be actually great.' You could possibly inform [Dungy] regreted concerning performing it, but he's like: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears special groups coordinator: "Every game that our experts possessed, it was always an inquiry of that's visiting boot to him, who isn't mosting likely to kick to him. We understood that they had actually referred to certainly not kicking to him, yet our experts always supposed as a workers that they were visiting kick to us in the Super Dish even if it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I told them Sunday night. I said, 'They're heading to kick the round right to our company.'" An unforeseen hurricane relocated right into the Miami region on game time as well as ditched virtually one in of storm over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the night. A group of 74,512 viewed Hester as well as the Bears kickoff profit group trot onto the industry to receive the opening zing following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a rookie, his confidence when he took the field was actually unbelievable. Our experts took a ton of pleasure in shutting out for him. Exclusive teams wasn't a task. It failed to think that you were actually being actually disciplined for certainly not being actually a starter. Whenever you tromped the field with him in the gain video game, it was like, 'Man, our experts may take it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears security: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I always remember observing all these flashes click when the round is actually being actually started. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Ending to the activity coming from the storage locker area felt surreal. I have actually never experienced everything like it. It was like the flicks. There were actually Classical candlesticks being shot up and all the ashes were boiling down in slow motion. It absolutely had me badgered out. I came to the subsidiary and also it felt like, 'Whoa, what simply taken place?' And afterwards our company win the coin toss as well as we are actually acquiring. Refer to an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears devices supervisor: "I said if it uses completion zone, acquire that ball for him. That's what remained in my mind since it was certainly never performed, had actually certainly never been actually done prior to." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it certainly never entered my mind that he would certainly rush a round back for a touchdown. It really failed to. I've possessed two of all of them in Super Bowls. I booted one to [Environment-friendly Gulf Packers wide receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and also he ran it back for a goal. So it happened to me prior to, but at no time was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it's visiting happen once again.' 2024 Pro Football Hall of FameThe Hall of Popularity Video Game in between the Bears as well as Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be actually televised on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of participates in that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney places twist on heritage u2022 Mongo's battle, adventure to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I had not been horrendous when we performed it. I believed, our team'll put him in the corner, we'll confront him inside the 25 and we'll really feel respectable regarding ourselves. Which is actually absolutely not what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that visited of my mouth [when he found the sphere headed his technique] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line as well as ran up area to the twenty. The closest a Colts protector would certainly reach handling him was safety Marlin Jackson, who was inches far from Hester, who increased off of his grasp. The Bears' wedge featuring Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid created a space for Hester to blast past the first wave of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Bowl logo and started running parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the industry, I just knew it. That's what he carried out. He outran everyone every single time he carried out that. The center of the field was gold for Devin. They really did not desire to boot it down the mid to Devin, however they seemingly were dealing with it excessive, as well as if you assume you are actually trumped. If they kick it down the middle of the area, I recognized he was actually heading to credit rating." I kept speaking about him being in his lawn [on the program] I believe I mentioned, 'Coming from Riviera Seaside to the biggest phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are actually preposterous.'" Harris: "I keep in mind reaching a fella, it was probably around the little bit of Super Dish logo design. I damaged this guy and also kind of saw [Devin] showing off by. And when I turned around and also I viewed he was actually out and all the Colts white jackets chasing him, I claimed, 'Okay, I have actually got to go satisfy him.' So I just took off on a lifeless sprint considering that I knew he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "The moment he surpassed our first wave of people, at that point our experts have a safety and security on each edge and also me in between. I understood I was actually as well far away from him. If I could possibly get close sufficient to him to at least slow-moving him down, maybe the pursuit could possibly come to him. But he juked the piss out of me, as well. That's the important things regarding Devin. When he possesses a bit of room, with that said vision, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 yards for a goal with the opening first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and really did not touch him in all, I felt like 'damn.' It's hilarious given that after one play, my jersey is actually dirtier than anyone's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually too much open field, so I recognized correct then and there [after Vinatieri's effort] It wasn't a condition where I was actually affixed to a side project and also had the sideline antagonizing me. Our experts were in the available area, so I understood he had not been going to get me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and Devin searched for. I was wondering why he was finding eventually to learn that he was considering himself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and also simply stumbled him up as well as he detected the end area for the goal." The Bears' momentum will advance the following travel as they opened up a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took command in the second area for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts began the video game along with a touchdown and our company believed it was actually mosting likely to be an ass-whipping. Really didn't wind up this way, although our experts came out as well as our experts got a pick right after that, too. We assumed our team had all type of momentum then and after that definitely it ended up changing on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I presume the one thing regarding that was it was actually the initial play of the game. That really operated in our perk considering that if it was actually just about anything behind that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would certainly feel like, 'Oh my God!' It would be a challenging point to recoup from." However our team had 4 one-fourths to recoup and also put that behind our company. Therefore, for our team it was actually kind of like, 'All right, our company tried. Pity on our team and after that our company can keep it moving currently.' Because in the end, we knew offensively our experts were actually going to rack up more than 7 aspects, and also I recognized defensively our team were heading to maintain all of them coming from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their whole team is fired up as well as excited. Currently when they kick off to our team, their self defense is heading to be actually happening a thousand kilometers an hour since the momentum is currently on their side ... yet the reality that there was actually still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the video game, we knew it wasn't over whatsoever. We just knew that this is actually the man that will trash the ready us if we do not protect against that. As well as obviously simply seeing that initial play was actually proof of that. Let's not boot him yet another ball." Gilmore: "They received smart and also chose to kick it to John Gilmore. I had two yields during that activity. That's what happens when Devin takes the position kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder resulted in this file.