.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, initially covering the Minnesota Vikings prior to switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a recurring panelist on Around the Horn as well as hold of Best Full week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She formerly operated at the San Jose Mercury Headlines as an interactives media sports journalist.By the time Devin Hester returned to his indigenous South Fla for the most significant video game of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was actually well on his method to coming to be the most ideal yield expert in NFL history.The former second-round selection, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had already gained first-team All-Pro awareness and also Pro Bowl respects by the opportunity the Bears accelerated to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a profession- as well as league-high 47 punts with three leading to goals in 2006. He additionally came back two kickoffs for goals and also racked up after coming back an overlooked basket 108 lawns versus the New York Giants.The Colts possessed loads of film to examine as they organized Chicago's most hazardous tool. They had found Hester manage a punt back 83 gardens for the green light goal to cover off a 20-point comeback win over the Cardinals. They witnessed him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the very same game to mark kickoff gain goals of 94 and also 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the coin toss inside a rainy Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens as well as selected to obtain, the Colts delivered the opening kickoff right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 secs to dash where he handled Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal line, 92 backyards away, all while viewing himself on the videoboard as he taped the only TD return of a position first in Super Bowl history.The disappointment coming from an eventual 29-17 reduction to the Colts performed little bit of to vanish the play that emphasizes Hester's Hall of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact is going to be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the initial gamer elected to the Pro Soccer Venue of Popularity first and foremost as a kick returner a gamer who triggered among the absolute most famous minutes in NFL history.Devin Hester actually started the Super Dish with a property phone call Some of the best zing returners ever before switches 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For two full weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had actually created a game plan for Hester that focused on him not touching the round. While the Bears' exclusive groups devices were one of the most explosive in the organization, the Colts rated 30th in first insurance coverage as well as 32nd in punt protection. Listed below is actually how that strategy ultimately accepted among the absolute most exciting plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a hazardous aggressive staff. They had [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet insurance coverage, come back, they had the greatest special teams unit in the NFL. Pub none. And the greatest returner, possibly in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "We were actually booting to the corners, our company're hopping the round, our experts are actually squibbing it, our company're punting high, or even we're punting out of bounds. Our experts stated, 'He's certainly not visiting be a factor. Our company think our experts may regulate their offense.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his come backs for goals were actually puntings, certainly not automatically kickoffs [Hester came back 3 puntings and also pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood for sure the tactical plan was don't punt the sphere to him. Attempt to punt it 40 backyards, forty five yards, out of bounds. Compromise some range however perform not allow him obtain the ball in his palms." We considered it the other way as well as really did not wish to sacrifice a lot of yardage on first stuff, so considering that we've acquired a couple of our starters in there, permit's make an effort to pin him behind-the-scenes and view if we can overload that edge and also attempt to lessen his return. Our experts engaged in that all full week long. It wasn't also like we were actually stressed to kick a touchback. Our company were actually additional worried concerning attacking it over in the section, and if he captures it at the 2- or even 3-yard line yet it is actually actually near to the subsidiary, at that point our team could possibly try to box him in a little bit." Reid: "The strategic plan was our company're not mosting likely to kick to him. He is actually also unsafe." Days before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy modified his mind.Dungy: "Among our pastors provided a chapel service just before the video game and also spoke about David as well as Giant and pointed out, 'The cause David succeeded is he had not been terrified. All the various other Israelites were afraid of Giant.' So I began believing, am I placing fear into our fellas' centers? 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 actually stopping to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the rainfall became, Hester took the sit back and brought in background. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I transformed my mind and said if our company lose the throw, our experts're going to start. Our team're visiting kick it to him, and I desire you to drop and also extra pound him. And when our experts knock their champ down, that is actually mosting likely to send an information just like David." I talked about it with Russ Purnell, our special groups train, and obviously he mentioned our experts can easily cover, our company can possibly do this. Our company'll get him in the Super Dish. Everyone intends to possess their moment. No one intends to walk out there certainly and simply mention, 'Hey, our company weren't part of this, or we really did not support.' So it was reciprocal, however by the end of the time, it was my decision." Reid: "Two or three times before the video game I moved the men to encourage Train Dungy. I claimed, 'Our experts may handle him. Our team'll be actually great.' You could say to [Dungy] regreted about doing it, but he resembles: 'OK, I trust you guys.'" Dave Toub, Bears special groups coordinator: "Every game that our experts had, it was consistently a question of who is actually visiting boot to him, that isn't going to boot to him. We understood that they had actually talked about not kicking to him, but we regularly assumed as a staff that they were going to boot to our team in the Super Bowl even if it is actually the Super Bowl." That's what I informed all of them Saturday evening. I mentioned, 'They are actually going to boot the sphere right to our team.'" An unforeseen hurricane relocated into the Miami place on activity time as well as ditched almost one in of storm over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 viewed Hester and also the Bears first profit team trot onto the industry to get the position kick following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a rookie, his peace of mind when he took the industry was actually unreal. Our team took a bunch of satisfaction in blocking for him. Special groups had not been a task. It really did not seem like you were actually being actually reprimanded for not being actually a starter. Whenever you tromped the field with him in the yield game, it felt like, 'Male, our team may get it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is pre-smartphones. I bear in mind finding all these flashes click on when the round is being actually kicked off. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Running out to the activity coming from the locker space really felt unique. I've never really felt just about anything like it. It was like the movies. There were Roman candle lights being actually soared and all the ashes were actually coming down in slow mo. It completely possessed me annoyed out. I got to the sideline and also it felt like, 'Whoa, what simply happened?' And afterwards our company gain the coin shake and also our company're obtaining. Speak about an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I pointed out if it goes in the end region, receive that ball for him. That's what was in my thoughts due to the fact that it was actually never ever performed, had never been done before." Vinatieri: "Honestly it certainly never entered my thoughts that he would run a ball back for a goal. It definitely didn't. I've had 2 of all of them in Super Bowls. I booted one to [Green Gulf Packers large receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] as well as he ran it back for a goal. So it happened to me just before, however at no time was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually mosting likely to occur once again.' 2024 Pro Football Venue of FameThe Hall of Fame Activity in between the Bears as well as Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will certainly be actually telecasted on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two participates in that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney puts spin on tradition u2022 Mongo's fight, experience to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been fearful when our experts did it. I believed, our team'll place him in the section, our company'll confront him inside the 25 and our experts'll really feel decent about ourselves. Which is actually absolutely not what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that appeared of my oral cavity [when he viewed the ball headed his way] were actually 'Holy s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and also added field to the 20. The closest a Colts defender would certainly come to tackling him was actually safety and security Marlin Jackson, who was actually inches away from Hester, that accelerated out of his comprehension. The Bears' block including Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid generated a space for Hester to blast past the first wave of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Dish logo and began sprinting 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 eluded everybody every time he did that. The middle of the field was golden for Devin. They didn't wish to boot it down the middle to Devin, however they seemingly were actually thinking about it way too much, and also if you think you are actually defeated. If they kick it down the center of the industry, I understood he was actually going to rating." I always kept discussing him remaining in his lawn [on the show] I believe I stated, 'Coming from Riviera Beach to the greatest phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually preposterous.'" Harris: "I don't forget striking a guy, it was actually possibly around the little bit of Super Dish logo. I cracked this fella as well as type of saw [Devin] showing off by. As well as when I shifted and I saw he was actually out plus all the Colts white jerseys chasing him, I claimed, 'Okay, I've reached go satisfy him.' So I just removed on a lifeless sprint due to the fact that I knew he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "Once he got past our initial surge of guys, then our team have a protection on each side and me in the middle. I recognized I was actually also distant from him. If I can obtain close sufficient to him to a minimum of slow him down, perhaps the quest could come to him. Yet he juked the piss out of me, too. That's the thing about Devin. When he has a little of area, with that dream, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 gardens for a goal with the opening kickoff in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove as well as failed to touch him in any way, I resembled 'damn.' It is actually comical given that after one play, my jacket is actually dirtier than anyone's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was too much available area, so I recognized best at that point and also certainly there [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a scenario where I was actually pinned to a side project and also had the side project antagonizing me. We resided in the available area, so I knew he wasn't going to get me." Joniak: "I keep in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and Devin looked up. I was pondering why he was finding eventually to discover that he was examining himself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him and also simply tripped him up as well as he tumbled into completion region for the goal." The Bears' energy would certainly continue on the upcoming travel as they opened a 14-6 top, but the Colts took command in the 2nd quarter for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our team began the game with a touchdown and also our company believed it was mosting likely to be an ass-whipping. Truly didn't end up by doing this, despite the fact that we emerged as well as our experts got a pick right after that, extremely. Our experts assumed our team possessed all type of energy then and after that certainly it wound up changing on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I presume the one point concerning that was it was the first play of the video game. That in fact done work in our perk since if it was actually anything behind that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it would certainly feel like, 'Oh my The lord!' It would be a difficult point to recover from." However our experts had four one-fourths to recuperate and place that behind our company. So, for our company it was type of like, 'Okay, our experts attempted. Pity on our team and afterwards our team can maintain it relocating right now.' Since in the long run, we knew offensively our team were actually mosting likely to rack up much more than 7 factors, and I understood defensively our team were actually going to maintain them from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire staff is actually fired up and also thrilled. Right now when they begin to our team, their defense is actually going to be actually coming a million miles a hr since the drive is actually currently on their edge ... however the reality that there was actually still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the activity, we understood it wasn't over whatsoever. We felt in one's bones that this is the fella that is going to wreck the game for us if our experts don't stop that. As well as undoubtedly merely viewing that initial play was evidence of that. Let's not kick him yet another sphere." Gilmore: "They received intelligent and also decided to kick it to John Gilmore. I had 2 yields because game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder added to this file.