.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, actually dealing with the Minnesota Vikings before switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a recurring panelist on Around the Horn and host of Best Full week Ever Before on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She formerly worked at the San Jose Mercury Headlines as a multimedia sporting activities journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester came back to his indigenous South Fla for the biggest activity of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was actually effectively on his method to coming to be the most effective gain expert in NFL history.The past second-round pick, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had already gotten first-team All-Pro acknowledgment as well as Pro Bowl respects by the time the Bears progressed to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a job- and league-high 47 puntings with 3 causing goals in 2006. He likewise came back two firsts for touchdowns as well as racked up after coming back a missed out on basket 108 gardens versus the New york city Giants.The Colts possessed plenty of film to examine as they planned for Chicago's a lot of risky weapon. They had seen Hester run a punting back 83 lawns for the consent touchdown to top off a 20-point resurgence draw the Cardinals. They watched him rip past the St. Louis Rams two times in the same video game to notch first return touchdowns of 94 and also 96 lawns, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the piece toss inside a rainy Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens and chosen to receive, the Colts sent out the position kickoff right in to Hester's grasp.It took him every one of 14 few seconds to sprint where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' goal, 92 yards away, all while seeing themself on the videoboard as he taped the only TD gain of an opening kickoff in Super Bowl history.The setback from an ultimate 29-17 loss to the Colts carried out little to vanish the play that accentuates Hester's Hall of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect will definitely be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the initial player chosen to the Pro Football Hall of Fame primarily as a kick returner a gamer who triggered some of one of the most well-known seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester actually began the Super Dish along with a property telephone call One of the best kick returners ever before switches 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For pair of full weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had crafted a strategy for Hester that hinged on him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' special staffs units were the most explosive in the organization, the Colts positioned 30th in kickoff coverage and also 32nd in punt protection. Right here is exactly how that planning essentially accepted some of one of the most impressive plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a dangerous offensive staff. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet protection, come back, they possessed the greatest unique teams system in the NFL. Pub none. And the most effective returner, most likely in NFL record." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "Our company were kicking to the sections, our team are actually jumping the sphere, we are actually squibbing it, our company're punting higher, or our experts're punting away from bounds. Our team said, 'He is actually certainly not heading to be a factor. Our team believe our experts can control their offense.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his returns for touchdowns were actually puntings, certainly not necessarily kickoffs [Hester returned three puntings as well as two kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew for certain the tactical plan was do not punt the sphere to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 gardens, forty five yards, away from bounds. Lose some span however carry out not permit him receive the ball in his hands." Our experts thought of it the other means and also failed to desire to lose a lots of yardage on first things, thus since we have actually obtained a number of our beginners therein, allow's try to pin him behind-the-scenes and also observe if our company can easily overload that edge and attempt to reduce his profit. We performed that all week long. It had not been also like our experts were fretted to kick a touchback. Our team were actually additional anxious regarding striking it over in the edge, and also if he records it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe yet it's actually near to the subsidiary, then our company can try to carton him in a bit." Reid: "The strategic plan was we are actually not going to boot to him. He is actually as well unsafe." Days just before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "Some of our pastors provided a church service just before the activity and spoke about David as well as Goliath as well as pointed out, 'The main reason David prospered is he wasn't worried. All the other Israelites were afraid of Goliath.' So I began assuming, am I putting anxiety into our fellas' centers? Am I playing this incorrect? We can not be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as shocked as anyone that the Colts were kicking to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the take it easy and brought in record. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I altered my thoughts and also mentioned if our company drop the throw, our team're mosting likely to start. Our team are actually going to boot it to him, and I prefer you to decrease and also extra pound him. As well as when our company take their champion down, that's visiting send out an information similar to David." I talked about it with Russ Purnell, our unique staffs trainer, as well as certainly he stated our experts can deal with, our team can do this. We'll obtain him in the Super Bowl. Everyone would like to have their moment. Nobody desires to head out there certainly and simply state, 'Hey, we weren't component of this, or we didn't support.' So it was reciprocal, yet at the end of the day, it was my selection." Reid: "2 or even three times before the game I rallied the fellas to encourage Train Dungy. I mentioned, 'Our team can easily manage him. Our experts'll be alright.' You can inform [Dungy] felt uneasy regarding performing it, however he feels like: 'OK, I trust you guys.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique teams organizer: "Every video game that our company had, it was actually always a concern of that is actually heading to boot to him, that isn't mosting likely to boot to him. We knew that they had referred to certainly not booting to him, but we consistently supposed as a team that they were actually mosting likely to boot to us in the Super Bowl just because it's the Super Dish." That's what I told all of them Saturday night. I stated, 'They're visiting kick the round right to our team.'" An unexpected storm moved right into the Miami place on game day and disposed virtually one inch of rain over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the night. A crowd of 74,512 watched Hester and the Bears kickoff yield team trot onto the field to obtain the opening zing just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a rookie, his assurance when he took the industry was unbelievable. We took a considerable amount of satisfaction in blocking for him. Unique teams wasn't a task. It failed to believe that you were actually being actually punished for not being actually a starter. At any time you stepped on the area along with him in the return game, it felt like, 'Guy, we can easily get it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I bear in mind finding all these flashes click when the sphere is being actually started. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Ending to the activity coming from the storage locker area felt surreal. I have actually never ever really felt anything like it. It resembled the motion pictures. There were Classical candles being skyrocketed and all the embers were boiling down in slow mo. It totally had me annoyed out. I reached the sideline and also it felt like, 'Whoa, what just taken place?' And after that our experts gain the piece toss as well as our company're getting. Speak about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears devices supervisor: "I said if it enters completion area, obtain that reception for him. That's what remained in my thoughts considering that it was actually certainly never carried out, had certainly never been actually performed just before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it never ever entered my mind that he will jog a round back for a touchdown. It truly failed to. I've possessed two of them in Super Containers. I kicked one to [Veggie Bay Packers vast receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] as well as he operated it back for a touchdown. So it took place to me before, yet at no opportunity was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it's heading to occur once again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Venue of FameThe Hall of Prominence Activity between the Bears as well as Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be televised on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 plays that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney puts twist on legacy u2022 Mongo's battle, experience to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't horrendous when we performed it. I believed, our experts'll place him in the section, our experts'll confront him inside the 25 and our company'll really feel fair regarding our own selves. Which's never what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that emerged of my mouth [when he viewed the sphere headed his means] were actually 'Holy s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and ran up area to the 20. The closest a Colts guardian will come to tackling him was safety and security Marlin Jackson, that was inches far from Hester, who sped up far from his comprehension. The Bears' wedge consisting of Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid generated a space for Hester to blast past the very first wave of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Bowl company logo and also began running alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the area, I just knew it. That's what he performed. He eluded everybody every single time he carried out that. The center of the field was actually gold for Devin. They really did not would like to kick it down the mid to Devin, yet they apparently were thinking about it a lot of, and also if you believe you are actually defeated. If they kick it down the middle of the field, I knew he was actually mosting likely to rating." I kept discussing him residing in his lawn [on the broadcast] I believe I said, 'From Riviera Seaside to the largest phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are foolish.'" Harris: "I don't forget hitting a man, it was actually most likely around the little Super Dish logo. I damaged this guy and also sort of saw [Devin] showing off by. And also when I reversed and I viewed he was actually out plus all the Colts white shirts chasing him, I claimed, 'All right, I've got to go satisfy him.' So I merely took off on a lifeless sprint given that I understood he was racking up." Vinatieri: "Once he surpassed our initial wave of guys, after that our team possess a security on each edge as well as me in between. I understood I was actually as well away from him. If I could possibly acquire close enough to him to at least sluggish him down, maybe the search could possibly get to him. However he juked the piss away from me, also. That's the many things about Devin. When he possesses a small amount of space, with that said dream, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 lawns for a touchdown with the position kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged as well as failed to touch him whatsoever, I felt like 'damn.' It is actually hilarious given that after one play, my jersey is dirtier than anyone's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was a lot of available industry, so I knew best then as well as there [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a circumstance where I was actually affixed to a subsidiary as well as had the subsidiary working against me. We resided in the open area, so I recognized he had not been going to receive me." Joniak: "I don't forget [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and also Devin looked up. I was wondering why he was finding eventually to know that he was actually looking at himself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him and merely slipped him up and also he detected the end area for the goal." The Bears' drive would continue on the following drive as they opened up a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took control in the 2nd part for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company started the activity with a goal and also we thought it was actually mosting likely to be an ass-whipping. Truly failed to end up this way, although our company appeared as well as our company obtained a pick right afterwards, very. Our experts assumed our team possessed all sort of momentum at that point and after that definitely it ended up switching on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive end: "I believe the one point about that was it was actually the initial play of the game. That actually operated in our benefit since if it was just about anything later than that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it would certainly feel like, 'Oh my The lord!' It would certainly be actually a difficult thing to recuperate from." But our team had 4 quarters to recoup and also place that behind our team. Therefore, for our company it was type of like, 'All right, we attempted. Embarassment on us and afterwards we may maintain it relocating right now.' Since eventually, we knew offensively our team were mosting likely to record much more than seven factors, and also I recognized defensively our team were actually mosting likely to keep them from counting." Vinatieri: "Their entire staff is actually fired up and also excited. Now when they kick off to our company, their defense is actually going to be coming a thousand kilometers an hour due to the fact that the energy is actually actually on their side ... however the simple fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 minutes left in the activity, we understood it had not been over by any means. Our experts just knew that this is actually the man that is going to wreck the game for our company if our company do not protect against that. And also undoubtedly just watching that first play was proof of that. Permit's certainly not kick him an additional ball." Gilmore: "They acquired clever and also made a decision to kick it to John Gilmore. I possessed pair of yields in that activity. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder brought about this record.