.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Personnel WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, actually covering the Minnesota Vikings just before switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a regular panelist on Around the Horn as well as hold of Best Full week Ever Before on ESPN Radio. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She earlier operated at the San Jose Mercury Information as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the moment Devin Hester went back to his native South Fla for the largest activity of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was actually effectively on his method to coming to be the greatest return expert in NFL history.The previous second-round selection, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually gotten first-team All-Pro recognition and also Pro Bowl respects due to the opportunity the Bears accelerated to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back an occupation- and also league-high 47 puntings along with three resulting in goals in 2006. He likewise came back 2 kickoffs for goals as well as scored after coming back an overlooked field goal 108 backyards versus the New York Giants.The Colts had a lot of film to analyze as they planned for Chicago's many unsafe item. They had actually found Hester operate a punting back 83 lawns for the permission goal to top off a 20-point resurgence win over the Cardinals. They witnessed him rip past the St. Louis Rams twice in the same activity to mark first gain goals of 94 as well as 96 lawns, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the coin toss inside a wet Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens and also selected to receive, the Colts delivered the position kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 secs to sprint from where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' goal, 92 backyards away, all while seeing themself on the videoboard as he captured the only TD gain of a position first in Super Bowl history.The disappointment coming from a resulting 29-17 loss to the Colts carried out little to fade the play that highlights Hester's Hall of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will certainly be enshrined in Canton this weekend as the 1st gamer chosen to the Pro Regulation Football Hall of Popularity initially as a kick returner a gamer that triggered among the absolute most famous moments in NFL history.Devin Hester really started the Super Dish with a home telephone call Some of the best kick returners ever before switches 40 today.( by means of @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For pair of weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had actually put together a tactical plan for Hester that focused on him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' unique groups devices were actually the most explosive in the league, the Colts positioned 30th in kickoff protection as well as 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Listed here is exactly how that plan eventually yielded to some of the best thrilling plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a hazardous offensive crew. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet coverage, return, they possessed the best special staffs system in the NFL. Pub none. And the very best returner, probably in NFL history." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "Our experts were actually kicking to the edges, our experts're hopping the sphere, our experts are actually squibbing it, we are actually punting higher, or even our experts are actually punting away from bounds. We pointed out, 'He's certainly not going to be a factor. We assume our experts can easily control their offense.'" Vinatieri: "Most of his profits for goals were actually puntings, not always kickoffs [Hester came back three punts and two kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew for sure the strategic plan was actually don't punt the sphere to him. Try to punt it 40 lawns, forty five gardens, away from bounds. Lose some distance but carry out certainly not permit him acquire the round in his palms." We thought about it the other means and didn't desire to sacrifice a lot of yardage on kickoff stuff, therefore since our experts have actually received a number of our beginners therein, permit's attempt to affix him in a corner as well as observe if our team can overload that edge as well as attempt to lessen his gain. We performed that all full week long. It had not been also like our company were worried to kick a touchback. Our company were more worried concerning striking it over in the corner, and also if he captures it at the 2- or even 3-yard pipe however it is actually really close to the side project, after that our experts can make an effort to carton him in a bit." Reid: "The game plan was our experts're not heading to kick to him. He is actually also risky." Days prior to the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "One of our pastors offered a church solution prior to the video game as well as discussed David as well as Giant and also claimed, 'The main reason David achieved success is he had not been frightened. All the other Israelites feared of Goliath.' So I started thinking, am I putting concern into our men' centers? Am I playing this inappropriate? Our team can not be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as shocked as anyone that the Colts were actually stopping to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the storm became, Hester took the take it easy as well as created past history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I changed my mind as well as pointed out if our company shed the throw, our team are actually mosting likely to start. Our company are actually going to kick it to him, and also I desire you to drop as well as extra pound him. And also when we knock their champ down, that's going to deliver a notification similar to David." I talked about it with Russ Purnell, our unique groups train, and also certainly he claimed our company can deal with, our experts may do this. Our experts'll acquire him in the Super Dish. Everyone wants to possess their minute. No person wishes to head out certainly there as well as just mention, 'Hey, our experts weren't aspect of this, or our experts really did not assist.' So it was actually mutual, yet at the end of the day, it was my selection." Reid: "Pair of or 3 days prior to the video game I rallied the fellas to convince Coach Dungy. I pointed out, 'Our team can easily handle him. Our company'll be great.' You might inform [Dungy] worried regarding performing it, yet he feels like: 'OK, I trust you people.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique crews organizer: "Every activity that we possessed, it was constantly a question of who's heading to boot to him, that isn't visiting kick to him. We understood that they had talked about not kicking to him, however our team consistently supposed as a personnel that they were going to kick to our company in the Super Dish even if it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I informed them Saturday evening. I mentioned, 'They're mosting likely to boot the ball right to our team.'" An unforeseen tornado relocated right into the Miami place on game day and discarded nearly one in of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the night. A group of 74,512 enjoyed Hester and the Bears first profit crew trot onto the field to acquire the position kick following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a newbie, his confidence when he took the area was unbelievable. Our team took a lot of satisfaction in blocking for him. Special groups wasn't a chore. It failed to seem like you were being penalized for certainly not being actually a starter. At any time you stepped on the area along with him in the return game, it felt like, 'Man, we can take it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears security: "This is pre-smartphones. I remember finding all these flashes click on when the round is being kicked off. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Going out to the activity from the storage locker space felt surreal. I've never really felt everything like it. It felt like the movies. There were Roman candlesticks being shot up plus all the embers were actually boiling down in slow motion. It entirely had me pestered out. I got to the subsidiary and it felt like, 'Whoa, what simply occurred?' And then our company gain the piece throw as well as our company are actually obtaining. Discuss an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment manager: "I stated if it uses the end zone, acquire that reception for him. That's what remained in my mind since it was certainly never performed, had certainly never been actually performed prior to." Vinatieri: "Honestly it never entered my thoughts that he will jog a round back for a touchdown. It truly didn't. I've had 2 of them in Super Dishes. I booted one to [Environment-friendly Bay Packers vast receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and also he ran it back for a touchdown. So it took place to me prior to, but at no time was I thinking, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually visiting take place once again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Venue of FameThe Venue of Fame Game between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be actually telecasted on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of participates in that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney places spin on heritage u2022 Mongo's match, experience to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't horrendous when we performed it. I presumed, our team'll place him in the section, our experts'll confront him inside the 25 as well as we'll really feel decent about ourselves. Which is actually absolutely not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that emerged of my oral cavity [when he observed the ball moved his technique] were actually 'Holy s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line as well as added industry to the 20. The closest a Colts guardian would certainly get to tackling him was security Marlin Jackson, that was actually ins out of Hester, that accelerated away from his knowledge. The Bears' wedge containing Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid produced a gap for Hester to blow past the very first surge of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Bowl company logo and 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 did. He eluded everyone whenever he performed that. The center of the field was actually gold for Devin. They really did not wish to boot it down the center to Devin, but they apparently were actually thinking about it too much, and if you presume you are actually trumped. If they boot it down the center of the field, I recognized he was actually going to credit rating." I kept referring to him residing in his backyard [on the program] I believe I claimed, 'From Riviera Beach front to the greatest phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are outrageous.'" Harris: "I keep in mind attacking a fella, it was actually perhaps around the little bit of Super Dish company logo. I cracked this individual as well as kind of saw [Devin] showing off by. And also when I turned around and I found he was actually out plus all the Colts white colored jackets chasing him, I pointed out, 'All right, I have actually come to go fulfill him.' So I simply removed on a dead sprint given that I understood he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "When he surpassed our 1st wave of people, at that point our company have a security on each edge as well as me in the middle. I knew I was actually too away coming from him. If I could possibly obtain close sufficient to him to a minimum of sluggish him down, perhaps the search could possibly come to him. Yet he juked the piss out of me, as well. That is actually things concerning Devin. When he has a little of area, with that vision, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 backyards for a touchdown along with the position kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and also failed to touch him at all, I was like 'damn.' It is actually hilarious because after one play, my shirt is actually dirtier than anybody's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually excessive available area, so I understood ideal then as well as there certainly [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a condition where I was affixed to a subsidiary and also possessed the sideline working against me. Our team were in the open area, so I recognized he had not been going to get me." Joniak: "I keep in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down as well as Devin sought out. I was thinking about why he was actually finding eventually to discover that he was examining himself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him as well as simply tripped him up and he tumbled into completion area for the touchdown." The Bears' drive will continue on the next travel as they opened a 14-6 top, however the Colts took management in the 2nd area for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "We began the video game with a goal as well as our company thought it was visiting be an ass-whipping. Truly really did not wind up in this way, despite the fact that our team showed up and also we received a pick right afterwards, too. We believed our team possessed all sort of drive at that point and then definitely it ended up switching on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I think the one point about that was it was the very first play of the game. That really operated in our benefit due to the fact that if it was actually everything beyond that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it would certainly be like, 'Oh my The lord!' It will be actually a tough point to recoup coming from." Yet our company had 4 quarters to bounce back as well as put that responsible for us. Therefore, for us it was actually kind of like, 'Okay, our team attempted. Pity on our company and afterwards our experts can maintain it relocating now.' Because eventually, we understood offensively we were actually going to rack up greater than seven points, and I recognized defensively our experts were actually heading to maintain them from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their whole group is actually ignited and excited. Now when they start to us, their self defense is actually visiting be actually coming a million kilometers a hr due to the fact that the momentum is actually presently on their edge ... but the fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 minutes left in the video game, we knew it had not been over whatsoever. Our team felt in one's bones that this is the fella that will definitely wreck the ready our team if our experts don't prevent that. And also clearly only viewing that first play was proof of that. Allow's certainly not boot him an additional ball." Gilmore: "They obtained wise and also chose to kick it to John Gilmore. I possessed pair of gains in that video game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the opening first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder added to this file.