.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Personnel WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings prior to changing to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a constant panelist on Around the Horn and also host of Best Week Ever on ESPN Radio. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She earlier operated at the San Jose Mercury News as a multimedia sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester returned to his indigenous South Florida for the greatest game of his lifestyle in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was actually effectively on his method to coming to be the most ideal profit professional in NFL history.The former second-round selection, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually presently made first-team All-Pro recognition and Pro Dish tributes due to the opportunity the Bears accelerated to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a profession- and league-high 47 puntings with three resulting in goals in 2006. He additionally returned pair of kickoffs for touchdowns and also racked up after returning a missed field goal 108 lawns versus the New york city Giants.The Colts possessed lots of movie to research as they got ready for Chicago's many risky item. They had found Hester manage a punting back 83 yards for the permission touchdown to cover off a 20-point return get the Cardinals. They saw him rip past the St. Louis Rams two times in the very same game to mark kickoff return goals of 94 and 96 yards, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the piece throw inside a stormy Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens and also chosen to receive, the Colts sent out the position kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 seconds to dash from where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal, 92 lawns away, all while enjoying themself on the videoboard as he videotaped the only TD return of an opening first in Super Bowl history.The setback coming from a resulting 29-17 loss to the Colts performed little to vanish the play that highlights Hester's Hall of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will certainly be enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the 1st gamer chosen to the Pro Soccer Hall of Fame primarily as a kick returner a gamer who stimulated among the absolute most renowned seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester actually started the Super Dish with a house phone call Among the best kick returners ever turns 40 today.( via @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For pair of weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually produced a strategy for Hester that hinged on him certainly not touching the ball. While the Bears' exclusive crews systems were the most explosive in the game, the Colts positioned 30th in first insurance coverage as well as 32nd in punt coverage. Listed here is how that planning ultimately accepted some of the absolute most exciting plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a harmful offensive group. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. But insurance coverage, return, they had the most ideal special staffs unit in the NFL. Pub none. As well as the very best returner, most likely in NFL past." Tony Dungy, Colts head trainer: "We were actually booting to the corners, our experts're jumping the round, our experts are actually squibbing it, our experts are actually punting higher, or even our experts're punting away from bounds. Our team pointed out, 'He's not mosting likely to be a variable. We believe we can easily control their offense.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his returns for goals were puntings, not automatically kickoffs [Hester came back three puntings and also pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We knew for sure the strategic plan was do not punt the ball to him. Attempt to punt it 40 backyards, forty five lawns, away from bounds. Give up some proximity but perform certainly not permit him get the round in his hands." Our team dealt with it the other means and didn't want to give up a lot of yardage on first things, so since we have actually got a number of our beginners therein, permit's try to pin him behind-the-scenes as well as see if we can overload that edge and also attempt to minimize his profit. Our experts exercised that all week long. It had not been also like we were actually worried to kick a touchback. Our experts were actually even more concerned about striking it over in the corner, and if he catches it at the 2- or even 3-yard pipe yet it is actually definitely near the sideline, after that we could possibly make an effort to box him in a little." Reid: "The game plan was our experts are actually not mosting likely to boot to him. He is actually too unsafe." Times prior to the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "One of our pastors gave a church solution just before the game as well as discussed David and Giant as well as stated, 'The reason David achieved success is he had not been worried. All the other Israelites were afraid of Giant.' So I began thinking, am I placing fear right into our individuals' hearts? Am I playing this incorrect? Our experts can not hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as pleasantly surprised as anybody that the Colts were stopping to him to open Super Bowl XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the unwind and also created history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I altered my thoughts and claimed if our company drop the toss, we are actually going to start. We are actually heading to kick it to him, as well as I desire you to decrease as well as pound him. And when our experts take their champion down, that is actually mosting likely to send an information just like David." I spoke about it along with Russ Purnell, our unique teams instructor, and also naturally he claimed our experts can deal with, our company may do this. Our company'll receive him in the Super Bowl. Everybody wishes to have their second. No one wants to go out certainly there as well as merely claim, 'Hey, our company weren't aspect of this, or even we didn't contribute.' So it was actually common, however at the end of the time, it was my selection." Reid: "2 or even 3 times just before the video game I rallied the men to persuade Train Dungy. I said, 'We may manage him. We'll be actually great.' You could inform [Dungy] worried concerning doing it, but he feels like: 'OK, I trust you individuals.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive teams organizer: "Every activity that we had, it was actually constantly a question of who is actually mosting likely to kick to him, that isn't heading to kick to him. We knew that they had actually talked about not kicking to him, but our team regularly supposed as a workers that they were going to boot to our company in the Super Bowl just because it is actually the Super Bowl." That's what I informed them Saturday night. I said, 'They're heading to kick the sphere right to our team.'" An unpredicted storm relocated in to the Miami place on game day and poured nearly one inch of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 seen Hester and also the Bears kickoff return team trot onto the industry to get the opening kick following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a rookie, his peace of mind when he took the area was actually unreal. Our experts took a great deal of pleasure in shutting out for him. Unique crews had not been a task. It really did not feel like you were actually being actually punished for not being a starter. Whenever you tromped the area with him in the return video game, it felt like, 'Male, our team can take it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is pre-smartphones. I bear in mind viewing all these flashes click on when the ball is actually being started. That was actually unbelievable." Gilmore: "Ending to the activity coming from the storage locker space experienced unique. I've certainly never felt everything like it. It resembled the films. There were actually Roman candles being soared and all the embers were boiling down in funeral pace. It entirely had me badgered out. I reached the sideline as well as it was like, 'Whoa, what merely taken place?' And after that our experts win the coin toss as well as we are actually getting. Speak about an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears tools manager: "I said if it uses the end region, acquire that ball for him. That's what was in my thoughts since it was never done, had actually never been done prior to." Vinatieri: "Frankly it never ever entered my mind that he would rush a sphere back for a goal. It definitely failed to. I have actually had 2 of all of them in Super Bowls. I kicked one to [Eco-friendly Bay Packers large receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and also he functioned it back for a touchdown. So it took place to me before, but at no opportunity was I thinking, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually visiting occur again.' 2024 Pro Football Hall of FameThe Venue of Popularity Game between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be telecasted on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of plays that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney places twist on tradition u2022 Mongo's battle, experience to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been fearful when our team performed it. I assumed, we'll place him in the edge, we'll attack him inside the 25 and also our company'll feel fair about our own selves. Which is actually not what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that came out of my mouth [when he observed the sphere headed his way] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and also ran up area to the 20. The closest a Colts defender will get to tackling him was actually safety and security Marlin Jackson, who was actually ins out of Hester, that increased out of his comprehension. The Bears' block including Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid produced a space for Hester to blast past the very first surge of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Bowl logo and also began sprinting alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the area, I just knew it. That's what he carried out. He eluded everyone every time he carried out that. The middle of the industry was actually golden for Devin. They failed to wish to kick it down the middle to Devin, but they seemingly were thinking about it too much, as well as if you believe you are actually trumped. If they kick it down the center of the industry, I recognized he was heading to rating." I kept speaking about him being in his lawn [on the program] I feel I pointed out, 'From Riviera Coastline to the most significant phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are absurd.'" Harris: "I bear in mind reaching a fella, it was perhaps around the little bit of Super Bowl company logo. I cracked this person and also kind of saw [Devin] showing off through. And also when I turned around as well as I found he was actually out plus all the Colts white colored shirts chasing him, I pointed out, 'Okay, I've got to go meet him.' So I merely removed on a lifeless sprint since I knew he was scoring." Vinatieri: "As soon as he surpassed our initial wave of guys, at that point our company possess a safety on each side and also me in the middle. I recognized I was actually too distant from him. If I can get close good enough to him to at least sluggish him down, perhaps the interest could possibly reach him. But he juked the piss out of me, as well. That is actually the thing regarding Devin. When he has a small amount of area, with that vision, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 backyards for a goal with the opening first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and also didn't touch him whatsoever, I felt like 'damn.' It's funny because after one play, my shirt is actually dirtier than any person's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was too much open field, so I understood best then as well as there [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a condition where I was actually pinned to a side project as well as possessed the subsidiary antagonizing me. Our company resided in the available area, so I knew he had not been going to obtain me." Joniak: "I remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and also Devin looked up. I was pondering why he was actually looking up eventually to learn that he was actually taking a look at themself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him and only stumbled him up and he tumbled into the end area for the goal." The Bears' momentum would certainly continue the upcoming drive as they opened up a 14-6 lead, but the Colts took command in the second quarter for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company began the video game with a goal and also our experts presumed it was going to be actually an ass-whipping. Truly really did not wind up this way, although our experts visited and also our experts acquired a selection right after that, very. We thought our company had all sort of energy at that point and then undoubtedly it found yourself changing on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive end: "I believe the one thing about that was it was actually the first play of the video game. That really done work in our benefit since if it was just about anything behind that, like in in the fourth quarter, it would be like, 'Oh my The lord!' It would certainly be actually a challenging factor to recoup from." However our team possessed four one-fourths to recover as well as place that responsible for our company. So, for our team it was type of like, 'All right, our experts tried. Shame on our team and after that our experts may maintain it relocating currently.' Because ultimately, we understood offensively our company were mosting likely to count more than 7 points, as well as I understood defensively we were actually visiting maintain all of them coming from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire staff is fired up as well as thrilled. Now when they kick off to our company, their self defense is visiting be happening a million miles an hour considering that the energy is currently on their side ... but the fact that there was still 59 1/2 mins left behind in the activity, we knew it had not been over whatsoever. Our company felt in one's bones that this is actually the man that is going to damage the ready our company if we don't protect against that. And also definitely merely watching that 1st play was verification of that. Let's not boot him yet another ball." Gilmore: "They received clever and determined to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed 2 returns during that activity. That's what happens when Devin takes the position first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder supported this file.