.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, actually covering the Minnesota Vikings before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a frequent panelist on Around the Horn as well as hold of Utmost Full week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She recently operated at the San Jose Mercury Information as a multimedia sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester returned to his native South Fla for the largest game of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was actually properly on his technique to ending up being the best profit specialist in NFL history.The past second-round selection, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had currently earned first-team All-Pro awareness and Pro Bowl tributes due to the time the Bears evolved to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a profession- as well as league-high 47 punts along with three leading to goals in 2006. He additionally returned 2 firsts for touchdowns and also racked up after coming back a missed out on field goal 108 gardens versus the New york city Giants.The Colts possessed plenty of film to research as they planned for Chicago's a lot of harmful weapon. They had viewed Hester run a punting back 83 lawns for the green light goal to cap off a 20-point rebound draw the Cardinals. They saw him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the exact same activity to notch first profit touchdowns of 94 and also 96 lawns, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the coin toss inside a rainy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and also chosen to obtain, the Colts sent out the opening first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 seconds to sprint where he handled Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal line, 92 lawns away, all while seeing himself on the videoboard as he videotaped the only TD yield of a position first in Super Bowl history.The letdown coming from a resulting 29-17 loss to the Colts performed little to fade the play that complements Hester's Venue of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect will certainly be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the very first player selected to the Pro Regulation Football Venue of Popularity first and foremost as a zing returner a player that stimulated some of the absolute most famous minutes in NFL history.Devin Hester definitely started the Super Dish with a home phone call One of the best zing returners ever switches 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For 2 weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually crafted a strategic plan for Hester that hinged on him not touching the round. While the Bears' special staffs systems were actually the absolute most explosive in the league, the Colts rated 30th in kickoff coverage and 32nd in punt coverage. Below is exactly how that program eventually yielded to some of the most impressive plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't an unsafe offensive team. They had [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. However insurance coverage, profits, they possessed the most ideal special teams system in the NFL. Club none. And the greatest returner, perhaps in NFL background." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "Our experts were actually kicking to the corners, our company're jumping the sphere, our company are actually squibbing it, our company are actually punting higher, or even we are actually punting out of bounds. Our company stated, 'He's not heading to be a factor. Our team think we can easily handle their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his profits for touchdowns were puntings, not always kickoffs [Hester came back three punts and also pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood without a doubt the strategic plan was actually don't punt the ball to him. Attempt to punt it 40 lawns, forty five yards, away from bounds. Sacrifice some range but carry out certainly not allow him receive the round in his hands." Our company thought about it the various other method and failed to intend to sacrifice a ton of yardage on kickoff things, so since our company have actually obtained a couple of our beginners therein, permit's try to affix him in a corner and see if we can overload that edge and try to decrease his return. Our company exercised that all full week long. It wasn't also like our team were worried to kick a touchback. We were even more concerned regarding attacking it over in the edge, and if he captures it at the 2- or 3-yard line yet it is actually definitely near to the subsidiary, then our company could possibly try to package him in a small amount." Reid: "The strategic plan was our company're certainly not mosting likely to boot to him. He's too unsafe." Days prior to the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "Some of our chaplains offered a chapel service prior to the video game as well as spoke about David and Goliath and stated, 'The reason David succeeded is he wasn't afraid. All the other Israelites hesitated of Giant.' So I began presuming, am I putting concern right into our fellas' centers? Am I playing this inappropriate? Our company can't fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as pleasantly surprised as any person that the Colts were actually stopping to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the rainfall fell, Hester took the unwind and brought in record. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I altered my thoughts as well as stated if our experts shed the throw, our team're mosting likely to begin. Our experts're visiting kick it to him, and also I want you to go down as well as extra pound him. And also when our company take their champion down, that's going to send out a notification just like David." I referred to it with Russ Purnell, our exclusive staffs trainer, and also naturally he claimed we may cover, we can possibly do this. Our team'll obtain him in the Super Dish. Everyone intends to possess their moment. No person wants to walk out there as well as just say, 'Hey, our experts weren't portion of this, or even our team failed to assist.' So it was mutual, yet by the end of the time, it was my choice." Reid: "2 or three times before the video game I moved the guys to convince Coach Dungy. I said, 'We can manage him. We'll be actually great.' You might tell [Dungy] regreted concerning doing it, yet he resembles: 'OK, I trust you guys.'" Dave Toub, Bears special groups planner: "Every game that our company had, it was actually regularly an inquiry of that is actually visiting kick to him, who isn't mosting likely to boot to him. We understood that they had actually talked about certainly not booting to him, yet our company constantly supposed as a team that they were going to boot to us in the Super Dish just because it's the Super Bowl." That's what I informed all of them Saturday evening. I said, 'They are actually heading to kick the ball right to our team.'" An unexpected storm relocated in to the Miami place on game day as well as discarded almost one inch of rain over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 watched Hester and also the Bears first yield team trot onto the area to obtain the opening zing just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a newbie, his peace of mind when he took the area was actually unreal. We took a great deal of pride in blocking for him. Unique groups wasn't a chore. It really did not feel like you were being penalized for certainly not being a starter. Any time you tromped the area along with him in the yield game, it felt like, 'Male, our experts can get it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is pre-smartphones. I always remember seeing all these flashes hit when the ball is being actually began. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Running out to the video game from the locker room experienced surreal. I have actually never ever really felt everything like it. It felt like the motion pictures. There were actually Roman candlesticks being actually skyrocketed and all the embers were actually boiling down in slow mo. It entirely possessed me bugged out. I came to the side project and also it was like, 'Whoa, what merely occurred?' And afterwards our company win the piece throw as well as our experts are actually receiving. Talk about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I stated if it goes in completion zone, get that reception for him. That's what remained in my mind considering that it was actually never performed, had never been actually carried out before." Vinatieri: "Frankly it never entered my thoughts that he will jog a sphere back for a touchdown. It actually didn't. I've had two of all of them in Super Bowls. I kicked one to [Veggie Bay Packers wide receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he worked it back for a touchdown. So it took place to me just before, but at no opportunity was I assuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually heading to happen again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Venue of FameThe Venue of Fame Video Game in between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will certainly be televised on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of plays that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney places spin on tradition u2022 Mongo's fight, quest to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I had not been fearful when we did it. I presumed, our team'll put him in the edge, our experts'll attack him inside the 25 as well as our experts'll experience respectable about our own selves. And also is actually not what took place." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that appeared of my oral cavity [when he found the ball headed his way] were 'Divine s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and ran up field to the 20. The closest a Colts protector would come to tackling him was actually safety and security Marlin Jackson, that was ins out of Hester, that sped up out of his knowledge. The Bears' block consisting of Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid created a gap for Hester to blow past the first surge of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Dish logo design and also started sprinting parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the area, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he performed. He outran everyone every time he carried out that. The middle of the area was actually golden for Devin. They failed to want to boot it down the middle to Devin, however they seemingly were actually dealing with it a lot of, as well as if you assume you are actually beat. If they boot it down the center of the area, I recognized he was going to credit rating." I always kept discussing him remaining in his garden [on the show] I feel I said, 'Coming from Riviera Coastline to the biggest phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are absurd.'" Harris: "I don't forget striking a person, it was probably around the little bit of Super Bowl logo. I damaged this man as well as kind of saw [Devin] showing off by. And also when I turned around and also I observed he was out and all the Colts white colored jerseys chasing him, I stated, 'Okay, I've reached go fulfill him.' So I merely took off on a lifeless sprint due to the fact that I knew he was racking up." Vinatieri: "The moment he got past our 1st wave of fellas, then our experts possess a security on each edge and also me in the center. I understood I was actually also distant from him. If I could receive close good enough to him to at least slow him down, perhaps the search could possibly reach him. However he juked the piss out of me, also. That is actually the many things regarding Devin. When he has a small amount of room, with that vision, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 lawns for a touchdown along with the opening kickoff in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged and also really did not touch him whatsoever, I was like 'damn.' It's funny since after one play, my jersey is dirtier than anyone's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually too much open field, so I recognized best at that point and also there [after Vinatieri's attempt] It had not been a circumstance where I was affixed to a subsidiary and possessed the side project working against me. We were in the available area, so I understood he wasn't going to acquire me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down as well as Devin looked up. I was actually questioning why he was looking up later to know that he was actually looking at himself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and simply tripped him up and also he tumbled into completion region for the touchdown." The Bears' energy would certainly continue on the upcoming ride as they opened a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took control in the 2nd zone for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company began the activity along with a touchdown as well as we presumed it was actually going to be an ass-whipping. Definitely really did not wind up that way, despite the fact that our experts visited as well as we obtained a choice right afterwards, too. Our experts assumed our team had all kinds of energy at that point and after that obviously it wound up switching on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive end: "I presume the something concerning that was it was actually the initial play of the activity. That actually done work in our benefit since if it was anything behind that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would resemble, 'Oh my The lord!' It would certainly be a challenging thing to recoup from." However we possessed four fourths to bounce back and place that behind us. Therefore, for our company it was actually type of like, 'Okay, our experts attempted. Embarassment on us and afterwards our company may maintain it moving currently.' Considering that ultimately, we understood offensively our experts were actually heading to rack up greater than seven aspects, and I understood defensively our experts were actually going to maintain them from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire group is actually ignited and also thrilled. Currently when they start to our team, their protection is visiting be happening a million miles a hr since the drive is actually presently on their edge ... but the reality that there was actually still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the activity, we understood it had not been over whatsoever. We just knew that this is the fella that is going to damage the ready our team if our company do not protect against that. As well as undoubtedly simply checking out that 1st play was actually verification of that. Let's certainly not kick him another sphere." Gilmore: "They received intelligent and also decided to boot it to John Gilmore. I had 2 gains during that video game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder added to this document.