.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, actually covering the Minnesota Vikings before shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a recurring panelist on Around the Horn as well as hold of Utmost Full week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She earlier operated at the San Jose Mercury News as a mixeds media sports journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester came back to his native South Florida for the largest game of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was effectively on his way to coming to be the most effective yield expert in NFL history.The former second-round selection, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had currently gained first-team All-Pro awareness and Pro Bowl tributes due to the time the Bears accelerated to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a career- and also league-high 47 puntings along with three leading to touchdowns in 2006. He likewise returned pair of kickoffs for touchdowns and racked up after returning a missed basket 108 backyards versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts had loads of movie to research as they prepared for Chicago's the majority of dangerous item. They had seen Hester run a punting back 83 backyards for the green light touchdown to cover off a 20-point revival draw the Cardinals. They witnessed him rip past the St. Louis Rams twice in the exact same game to notch kickoff profit touchdowns of 94 and also 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the coin throw inside a rainy Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens as well as selected to receive, the Colts delivered the opening kickoff right in to Hester's grasp.It took him every one of 14 few seconds to sprint where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' goal, 92 backyards away, all while watching himself on the videoboard as he taped the only TD return of an opening first in Super Dish history.The letdown coming from an eventual 29-17 reduction to the Colts did little to vanish the play that emphasizes Hester's Hall of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect is going to be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the very first gamer elected to the Pro Soccer Venue of Prominence primarily as a kick returner a gamer that triggered some of one of the most iconic instants in NFL history.Devin Hester definitely began the Super Dish with a residence phone call Among the best kick returners ever transforms 40 today.( through @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 produced a game plan for Hester that focused on him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' special crews systems were actually one of the most explosive in the game, the Colts ranked 30th in kickoff coverage and 32nd in punt coverage. Listed here is actually how that program inevitably accepted among the best impressive plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a risky offensive crew. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. But coverage, profits, they had the very best special staffs device in the NFL. Pub none. As well as the greatest returner, perhaps in NFL history." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "Our experts were actually booting to the edges, our team are actually hopping the round, our experts are actually squibbing it, our company are actually punting high, or our company are actually punting out of bounds. Our company said, 'He is actually certainly not heading to be actually an element. Our experts believe our company may handle their offense.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his profits for touchdowns were actually punts, not necessarily kickoffs [Hester returned three puntings and two kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood without a doubt the game plan was actually do not punt the round to him. Try to punt it 40 gardens, forty five backyards, out of bounds. Sacrifice some proximity yet carry out certainly not permit him acquire the round in his palms." We thought about it the various other way and didn't want to compromise a lot of yardage on kickoff stuff, therefore because our team have actually obtained a couple of our starters therein, permit's try to affix him behind-the-scenes and see if our experts can overload that side and also try to minimize his profit. Our company practiced that all full week long. It wasn't also like our company were fretted to kick a touchback. Our experts were actually more concerned about striking it over in the section, and also if he catches it at the 2- or even 3-yard line however it is actually truly close to the sideline, after that our company could attempt to package him in a bit." Reid: "The tactical plan was our company're not heading to kick to him. He is actually as well risky." Times before the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "Some of our pastors offered a church company before the game as well as discussed David as well as Giant and also claimed, 'The explanation David prospered is he had not been hesitant. All the various other Israelites hesitated of Giant.' So I started thinking, am I putting worry in to our guys' centers? Am I playing this inappropriate? Our team can't be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as shocked as any individual that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the rain fell, Hester took the take it easy as well as brought in past. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I changed my mind as well as pointed out if our team drop the shake, our team're going to begin. Our team're visiting kick it to him, and I desire you to drop as well as pound him. And when we take their champion down, that is actually mosting likely to send out a notification similar to David." I discussed it with Russ Purnell, our exclusive teams instructor, and naturally he claimed our experts may cover, our company may do this. Our company'll obtain him in the Super Bowl. Everybody desires to have their minute. No person wishes to head out there certainly and just mention, 'Hey, our team weren't portion of this, or our experts didn't contribute.' So it was common, however at the end of the day, it was my decision." Reid: "Pair of or three days just before the game I rallied the guys to entice Train Dungy. I claimed, 'We can handle him. Our experts'll be alright.' You can say to [Dungy] worried regarding doing it, but he resembles: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive staffs organizer: "Every video game that we possessed, it was actually regularly a concern of that is actually going to boot to him, who isn't mosting likely to boot to him. We understood that they had actually talked about not booting to him, but our experts always supposed as a team that they were actually going to kick to our team in the Super Bowl just because it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I informed them Saturday night. I claimed, 'They're mosting likely to boot the sphere right to us.'" An unanticipated tornado relocated into the Miami area on game day as well as unloaded nearly one inch of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 viewed Hester and also the Bears first gain group trot onto the field to get the opening zing after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a novice, his assurance when he took the industry was actually unreal. Our experts took a lot of satisfaction in blocking for him. Exclusive groups wasn't a job. It failed to think that you were actually being punished for not being actually a starter. Whenever you tromped the industry along with him in the return video game, it was like, 'Male, our experts can take it to our home.'" Chris Harris, Bears security: "This is pre-smartphones. I bear in mind seeing all these flashes click when the sphere is being kicked off. That was actually unbelievable." Gilmore: "Running out to the video game from the storage locker space really felt surreal. I have actually certainly never felt everything like it. It felt like the films. There were actually Classical candle lights being actually shot up plus all the cinders were actually boiling down in slow motion. It absolutely possessed me annoyed out. I reached the subsidiary as well as it resembled, 'Whoa, what simply happened?' And then we gain the piece throw and also our experts're getting. Talk about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I mentioned if it goes in the end zone, receive that reception for him. That's what was in my mind since it was never done, had never ever been carried out prior to." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it never entered my mind that he would dash a round back for a touchdown. It actually failed to. I've had two of all of them in Super Containers. I kicked one to [Eco-friendly Gulf Packers broad receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and also he functioned it back for a touchdown. So it occurred to me before, yet at no opportunity was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually mosting likely to take place once more.' 2024 Pro Football Hall of FameThe Venue of Prominence Video Game between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be actually aired on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of participates in that determine Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney puts twist on tradition u2022 Mongo's battle, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't horrendous when we did it. I believed, we'll put him in the edge, we'll tackle him inside the 25 and also our experts'll feel fair concerning our own selves. And that is actually not what took place." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that emerged of my oral cavity [when he viewed the sphere moved his technique] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester got Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line as well as ran up industry to the twenty. The closest a Colts protector would reach handling him was actually security Marlin Jackson, who was inches away from Hester, that accelerated off of his grasp. The Bears' wedge including Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid produced a gap for Hester to blow past the initial wave of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Dish logo design and also started dashing alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the field, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he did. He eluded everyone every single time he carried out that. The middle of the area was actually golden for Devin. They didn't wish to kick it down the mid to Devin, yet they apparently were actually considering it a lot of, as well as if you think you are actually trumped. If they kick it down the center of the field, I recognized he was going to rating." I maintained referring to him being in his lawn [on the show] I think I claimed, 'From Riviera Coastline to the biggest phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually foolish.'" Harris: "I remember hitting a guy, it was actually possibly around the little bit of Super Bowl logo. I damaged this man and also sort of saw [Devin] flashing through. And also when I reversed and also I viewed he was actually out plus all the Colts white colored jerseys chasing him, I mentioned, 'Okay, I have actually come to go meet him.' So I just removed on a lifeless sprint due to the fact that I knew he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "Once he got past our 1st surge of people, then we have a protection on each edge and also me in between. I knew I was actually as well away coming from him. If I might acquire close sufficient to him to at the very least slow-moving him down, maybe the interest could possibly reach him. However he outwited the piss out of me, also. That is actually the important things regarding Devin. When he has a little bit of room, keeping that vision, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 backyards for a touchdown along with the position first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged and really did not touch him in all, I resembled 'damn.' It is actually amusing since after one play, my jacket is dirtier than any person's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was a lot of open industry, so I recognized appropriate at that point and there [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a condition where I was affixed to a subsidiary and also possessed the sideline working against me. We resided in the open area, so I knew he had not been going to receive me." Joniak: "I remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and also Devin looked up. I was asking yourself why he was searching for later on to discover that he was actually taking a look at himself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him as well as merely slipped him up as well as he tumbled into completion area for the goal." The Bears' momentum would continue on the next ride as they opened a 14-6 top, yet the Colts took management in the 2nd part for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our team started the game along with a goal and our experts thought it was heading to be actually an ass-whipping. Actually failed to wind up this way, even though our company came out and also our experts got a pick right after that, too. Our team believed we possessed all sort of energy at that point and then clearly it ended up changing on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive end: "I presume the one thing regarding that was it was the 1st play of the video game. That in fact operated in our benefit because if it was actually just about anything behind that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would resemble, 'Oh my The lord!' It will be actually a difficult thing to bounce back from." But our team had 4 fourths to recuperate and also place that responsible for our team. Therefore, for our team it was actually sort of like, 'All right, our team tried. Embarassment on us and afterwards our experts may maintain it moving right now.' Due to the fact that ultimately, we knew offensively our team were visiting count much more than 7 factors, and I recognized defensively our company were actually mosting likely to keep them coming from recording." Vinatieri: "Their whole crew is fired up as well as excited. Now when they begin to our team, their self defense is actually going to be happening a million kilometers an hour given that the drive is currently on their edge ... however the reality that there was actually still 59 1/2 mins left in the activity, we understood it wasn't over by any means. We felt in one's bones that this is actually the individual that is going to wreck the ready our team if we do not protect against that. And also clearly only watching that initial play was proof of that. Allow's certainly not boot him yet another sphere." Gilmore: "They got wise and decided to kick it to John Gilmore. I possessed 2 returns in that activity. That's what happens when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner added to this record.