.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings before switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a recurring panelist on Around the Horn as well as host of Best Week Ever on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She previously operated at the San Jose Mercury Information as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester returned to his indigenous South Fla for the greatest game of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was well on his method to becoming the most effective return specialist in NFL history.The former second-round pick, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had currently made first-team All-Pro acknowledgment and also Pro Dish honors due to the opportunity the Bears accelerated to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a job- and league-high 47 puntings with three resulting in touchdowns in 2006. He also came back two kickoffs for goals and also racked up after coming back a missed basket 108 lawns versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts possessed loads of film to examine as they prepared for Chicago's a lot of unsafe tool. They had actually observed Hester manage a punt back 83 gardens for the permission goal to cap off a 20-point rebound gain the Cardinals. They watched him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the exact same activity to scratch kickoff yield goals of 94 as well as 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece shake inside a rainy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens as well as selected to obtain, the Colts sent out the opening kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 seconds to run where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' goal, 92 yards away, all while enjoying himself on the videoboard as he captured the only TD gain of a position first in Super Dish history.The disappointment coming from a resulting 29-17 reduction to the Colts carried out little to fade the play that draws attention to Hester's Venue of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will definitely be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the 1st player selected to the Pro Soccer Hall of Fame initially as a kick returner a player that triggered among the best iconic seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester actually began the Super Dish with a property telephone call One of the greatest kick returners ever before transforms 40 today.( through @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For two full weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually come up with a strategy for Hester that revolved around him not touching the ball. While the Bears' exclusive groups devices were actually the most explosive in the game, the Colts positioned 30th in first protection and 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Listed here is actually exactly how that strategy ultimately accepted one of the best amazing plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a hazardous aggressive team. They had [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. However protection, profits, they possessed the best exclusive crews system in the NFL. Club none. And the best returner, perhaps in NFL past." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "Our experts were booting to the sections, we're jumping the round, our company are actually squibbing it, we are actually punting high, or even our company are actually punting out of bounds. Our experts claimed, 'He's certainly not going to be actually a factor. We believe our company can control their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his come backs for touchdowns were puntings, certainly not always kickoffs [Hester returned 3 punts and also 2 kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew for sure the game plan was do not punt the ball to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 lawns, 45 gardens, out of bounds. Sacrifice some distance but do certainly not allow him receive the sphere in his hands." We considered it the other method as well as failed to want to sacrifice a lot of yardage on first things, thus due to the fact that our company've acquired a number of our beginners therein, allow's try to affix him in a corner and view if we can overload that edge and also try to decrease his return. Our team engaged in that all full week long. It wasn't also like our team were actually paniced to kick a touchback. Our team were more interested about reaching it over in the corner, and also if he captures it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe yet it is actually really close to the side project, after that our company could possibly try to carton him in a little bit." Reid: "The tactical plan was our experts are actually not heading to boot to him. He is actually as well dangerous." Times prior to the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "One of our pastors provided a church service just before the activity and spoke about David and Goliath as well as stated, 'The factor David was successful is he had not been scared. All the other Israelites were afraid of Giant.' So I started assuming, am I putting anxiety right into our individuals' hearts? Am I playing this inappropriate? Our experts can not hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as stunned as anybody that the Colts were stopping to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the rainfall fell, Hester took the unwind and also created record. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I transformed my mind and said if our team shed the shake, we are actually going to begin. Our experts're going to kick it to him, as well as I prefer you to decrease and pound him. And also when our company take their champ down, that's visiting send out a notification similar to David." I talked about it with Russ Purnell, our exclusive groups trainer, as well as of course he claimed our team may cover, our team can possibly do this. We'll get him in the Super Dish. Everyone intends to have their moment. Nobody intends to go out there certainly and just claim, 'Hey, our team weren't component of this, or our experts failed to contribute.' So it was actually common, yet at the end of the time, it was my choice." Reid: "2 or even 3 days before the activity I rallied the guys to encourage Coach Dungy. I claimed, 'Our experts may handle him. We'll be fine.' You could possibly say to [Dungy] felt uneasy about performing it, however he's like: 'OK, I trust you individuals.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive crews coordinator: "Every game that we had, it was consistently an inquiry of who's visiting kick to him, who isn't visiting kick to him. We understood that they had actually referred to not booting to him, however our experts consistently thought as a staff that they were actually going to kick to us in the Super Bowl even if it's the Super Bowl." That's what I told all of them Sunday night. I pointed out, 'They are actually heading to boot the round right to us.'" An unanticipated storm relocated into the Miami region on video game day as well as unloaded almost one in of storm over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 checked out Hester and the Bears first yield group trot onto the industry to acquire the opening zing just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a rookie, his confidence when he took the area was actually unreal. Our experts took a ton of pride in shutting out for him. Special teams wasn't a chore. It really did not think that you were being reprimanded for certainly not being actually a starter. At any time you stepped on the industry along with him in the gain activity, it resembled, 'Man, we can easily get it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I remember observing all these flashes hit when the sphere is actually being actually kicked off. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Ending to the video game coming from the storage locker area felt surreal. I have actually never experienced just about anything like it. It resembled the films. There were actually Roman candles being skyrocketed and all the coal were coming down in slow motion. It completely possessed me pestered out. I came to the subsidiary and it resembled, 'Whoa, what merely taken place?' And then we gain the piece throw and we are actually acquiring. Speak about an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears devices supervisor: "I stated if it goes in completion zone, obtain that ball for him. That's what resided in my thoughts since it was actually never ever done, had never been carried out prior to." Vinatieri: "Honestly it never ever entered my thoughts that he will run a ball back for a touchdown. It really didn't. I have actually had two of all of them in Super Bowls. I kicked one to [Eco-friendly Bay Packers broad receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] and he functioned it back for a goal. So it took place to me prior to, yet at no time was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually visiting take place once again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Venue of FameThe Hall of Fame Activity between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be actually televised on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 plays that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney puts spin on heritage u2022 Mongo's battle, adventure to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't fearful when we did it. I believed, we'll place him in the edge, we'll confront him inside the 25 as well as we'll experience good about ourselves. And also's never what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that visited of my oral cavity [when he saw the round headed his technique] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester got Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line as well as raised area to the 20. The closest a Colts guardian would certainly come to tackling him was protection Marlin Jackson, who was actually inches off of Hester, who accelerated out of his realization. The Bears' block including Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid made a gap for Hester to blow past the very first surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish company logo and also started running parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it halfway of the field, I just knew it. That's what he did. He eluded everyone every time he did that. The middle of the industry was actually golden for Devin. They failed to intend to boot it down the middle to Devin, however they relatively were actually considering it way too much, as well as if you believe you are actually beat. If they kick it down the center of the field, I recognized he was actually mosting likely to credit rating." I always kept talking about him residing in his garden [on the broadcast] I believe I said, 'From Riviera Seashore to the biggest phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are ridiculous.'" Harris: "I don't forget hitting an individual, it was perhaps around the little bit of Super Bowl logo. I broke this guy as well as kind of saw [Devin] showing off through. As well as when I shifted and I saw he was out plus all the Colts white jackets chasing him, I claimed, 'Okay, I have actually got to go meet him.' So I simply took off on a dead sprint due to the fact that I knew he was racking up." Vinatieri: "When he got past our first wave of individuals, after that our team have a security on each side and also me in between. I knew I was actually as well away coming from him. If I might get close enough to him to a minimum of slow-moving him down, maybe the search can reach him. But he outwited the piss away from me, too. That's the thing concerning Devin. When he possesses a little bit of area, keeping that dream, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 yards for a touchdown along with the position first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged and really did not touch him whatsoever, I felt like 'damn.' It is actually hilarious given that after one play, my shirt is dirtier than any person's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was a lot of open area, so I understood correct at that point and also there certainly [after Vinatieri's attempt] It had not been a situation where I was pinned to a sideline and possessed the side project antagonizing me. We resided in the available area, so I recognized he had not been going to get me." Joniak: "I always remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and also Devin sought out. I was actually pondering why he was actually looking up later to learn that he was checking out themself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him and also merely stumbled him up and he tumbled into the end region for the goal." The Bears' energy would certainly continue the upcoming drive as they opened up a 14-6 lead, but the Colts took management in the second zone for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "We began the game with a goal and our experts thought it was actually visiting be actually an ass-whipping. Actually failed to find yourself by doing this, despite the fact that our company came out and our team obtained a selection right afterwards, extremely. Our team believed our experts had all sort of energy then and afterwards definitely it found yourself moving on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I think the a single thing about that was it was actually the first play of the video game. That really done work in our perk due to the fact that if it was everything later than that, like in in the 4th quarter, it would certainly feel like, 'Oh my The lord!' It would certainly be actually a challenging point to recover from." But our company possessed four fourths to bounce back and place that behind our team. Therefore, for us it was actually type of like, 'Okay, we attempted. Pity on our team and afterwards our company can keep it moving now.' Because eventually, we knew offensively we were actually heading to count more than 7 points, and also I understood defensively our company were actually visiting keep them coming from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their entire team is actually fired up and excited. Currently when they kick off to our company, their self defense is actually visiting be coming a million miles a hr considering that the momentum is actually actually on their edge ... however the reality that there was actually still 59 1/2 minutes left in the video game, we knew it had not been over whatsoever. We just knew that this is actually the fella that is going to wreck the ready our company if our experts do not avoid that. And also definitely merely viewing that initial play was actually evidence of that. Allow's certainly not kick him yet another round." Gilmore: "They obtained wise and determined to boot it to John Gilmore. I had 2 profits because activity. That's what happens when Devin takes the position kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder supported this file.