.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Personnel WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, actually covering the Minnesota Vikings just before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a regular panelist on Around the Horn and also host of Best Week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She recently worked at the San Jose Mercury Headlines as an interactives media sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester came back to his indigenous 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 becoming the greatest profit expert in NFL history.The previous second-round pick, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually presently gained first-team All-Pro awareness and also Pro Dish honors due to the opportunity the Bears advanced to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a profession- as well as league-high 47 puntings with 3 causing goals in 2006. He likewise came back two kickoffs for goals as well as racked up after returning a skipped field goal 108 yards versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts possessed a lot of movie to study as they got ready for Chicago's the majority of risky tool. They had actually found Hester operate a punt back 83 gardens for the okay touchdown to top off a 20-point resurgence get the Cardinals. They witnessed him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the same activity to scratch kickoff gain goals of 94 and also 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the coin toss inside a rainy Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens and elected to get, the Colts sent the opening kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 secs to run from where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' end zone, 92 yards away, all while enjoying himself on the videoboard as he captured the only TD gain of an opening kickoff in Super Dish history.The frustration coming from a possible 29-17 reduction to the Colts carried out little bit of to fade the play that emphasizes Hester's Hall of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect will certainly be actually preserved in Canton this weekend as the initial player selected to the Pro Football Hall of Prominence initially as a kick returner a player who stimulated one of one of the most famous moments in NFL history.Devin Hester actually began the Super Dish with a residence call One of the greatest kick returners ever turns 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For pair of weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually put together a tactical plan for Hester that focused on him not touching the ball. While the Bears' unique staffs systems were actually one of the most explosive in the league, the Colts positioned 30th in kickoff protection as well as 32nd in punt protection. Listed below is actually how that program essentially accepted one of the absolute most interesting plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective side: "They weren't a hazardous aggressive staff. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet insurance coverage, return, they possessed the greatest special groups system in the NFL. Pub none. And also the very best returner, possibly in NFL record." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "Our experts were actually kicking to the edges, we are actually jumping the round, we are actually squibbing it, our team're punting high, or we're punting out of bounds. We pointed out, 'He's not mosting likely to be an element. We think we may manage their offense.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his profits for touchdowns were actually puntings, certainly not necessarily kickoffs [Hester returned three puntings and 2 firsts for TDs in 2006] We knew for certain the tactical plan was actually do not punt the ball to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 backyards, 45 backyards, away from bounds. Sacrifice some distance but carry out not permit him obtain the sphere in his hands." Our team thought of it the other technique as well as really did not desire to lose a lots of yardage on first things, so considering that our experts have actually acquired a couple of our starters therein, let's try to affix him in a corner and see if we can overload that side and make an effort to minimize his return. Our team practiced that all full week long. It wasn't even like we were fretted to kick a touchback. Our experts were actually more worried regarding striking it over in the corner, and if he records it at the 2- or 3-yard line but it's actually near to the sideline, at that point our experts could possibly make an effort to package him in a little." Reid: "The tactical plan was our team're not going to boot to him. He is actually as well risky." Times before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "Among our pastors gave a chapel solution just before the activity and discussed David as well as Giant and also stated, 'The reason David prospered is he had not been terrified. All the various other Israelites were afraid of Giant.' So I began believing, am I putting concern in to our guys' hearts? Am I playing this inappropriate? We can't hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as surprised as anyone that the Colts were actually stopping to him to open Super Bowl XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the kick back and brought in past history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I altered my thoughts and mentioned if we lose the throw, our company are actually going to start. Our team're going to kick it to him, and I wish you to decrease and also extra pound him. And also when our experts take their champion down, that is actually mosting likely to send a notification just like David." I talked about it with Russ Purnell, our special groups train, and of course he mentioned our company may deal with, our experts can possibly do this. Our company'll acquire him in the Super Bowl. Everybody would like to possess their second. No one wants to go out there certainly and also merely claim, 'Hey, our team weren't portion of this, or even our team failed to assist.' So it was shared, but by the end of the time, it was my decision." Reid: "2 or even three days prior to the video game I moved the fellas to persuade Train Dungy. I stated, 'We can easily handle him. Our experts'll be actually alright.' You could possibly tell [Dungy] worried concerning performing it, however he feels like: 'OK, I trust you guys.'" Dave Toub, Bears special staffs organizer: "Every activity that we had, it was actually consistently a question of that is actually heading to kick to him, who isn't heading to boot to him. We knew that they had actually talked about not kicking to him, yet our team always thought as a personnel that they were heading to boot to our company in the Super Dish even if it's the Super Bowl." That's what I told all of them Saturday evening. I pointed out, 'They're mosting likely to kick the round right to us.'" An unpredicted tornado moved into the Miami area on video game day as well as disposed almost one in of rain over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 seen Hester and also the Bears kickoff gain team trot onto the area to get the opening kick following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a rookie, his confidence when he took the area was unreal. Our experts took a bunch of honor in blocking out for him. Unique crews had not been a duty. It didn't seem like you were being penalized for not being actually a starter. Whenever you tromped the industry along with him in the gain video game, it resembled, 'Guy, our team can get it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is pre-smartphones. I always remember finding all these flashes click on when the sphere is actually being actually kicked off. That was actually unbelievable." Gilmore: "Ending to the video game coming from the closet area felt surreal. I have actually never ever experienced just about anything like it. It was like the movies. There were Roman candle lights being actually skyrocketed plus all the embers were actually coming down in slow mo. It absolutely had me annoyed out. I reached the sideline as well as it resembled, 'Whoa, what just happened?' And then our company gain the coin throw and also our team're acquiring. Discuss an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears devices supervisor: "I claimed if it enters completion region, acquire that reception for him. That's what resided in my mind since it was actually never done, had actually never been actually carried out just before." Vinatieri: "Frankly it certainly never entered my mind that he would jog a round back for a touchdown. It really failed to. I have actually had two of them in Super Bowls. I kicked one to [Green Gulf Packers broad receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] as well as he ran it back for a goal. So it occurred to me before, however at no opportunity was I assuming, 'Oh my gosh, it's visiting occur again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Hall of FameThe Venue of Fame Activity between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be televised on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 participates in that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney places twist on heritage u2022 Mongo's match, adventure to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't horrendous when our team performed it. I presumed, our company'll put him in the section, our company'll confront him inside the 25 and our company'll feel good concerning ourselves. Which is actually never what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that appeared of my mouth [when he viewed the round headed his means] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and added field to the twenty. The closest a Colts guardian will get to handling him was actually safety and security Marlin Jackson, that was ins off of Hester, who sped up out of his comprehension. The Bears' wedge featuring Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid created a gap for Hester to blast past the initial wave of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish logo and started sprinting alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal 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 single time he performed that. The middle of the area was actually golden for Devin. They didn't want to boot it down the mid to Devin, but they apparently were actually dealing with it a lot of, and also if you think you are actually beat. If they boot it down the middle of the field, I understood he was actually mosting likely to credit rating." I always kept referring to him being in his garden [on the show] I believe I said, 'Coming from Riviera Seaside to the most significant phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are actually ridiculous.'" Harris: "I remember hitting a guy, it was probably around the little bit of Super Bowl logo design. I broke this individual and type of saw [Devin] showing off through. And when I reversed as well as I viewed he was actually out plus all the Colts white colored jerseys chasing him, I mentioned, 'Okay, I have actually come to go satisfy him.' So I merely took off on a dead sprint given that I understood he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "When he surpassed our 1st wave of men, then our experts possess a safety on each side and also me in the middle. I recognized I was actually too distant coming from him. If I could receive close sufficient to him to at the very least slow-moving him down, maybe the interest could come to him. But he juked the piss out of me, also. That is actually the important things about Devin. When he possesses a little bit of room, with that sight, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 gardens for a goal along with the opening first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped as well as really did not touch him in all, I resembled 'damn.' It's amusing because after one play, my shirt is dirtier than anyone's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually too much available field, so I understood right then as well as certainly there [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a scenario where I was pinned to a sideline and also had the side project antagonizing me. Our team resided in the available industry, so I understood he had not been going to get me." Joniak: "I remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and also Devin found. I was actually asking yourself why he was searching for eventually to discover that he was actually taking a look at himself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him and also just stumbled him up and also he detected the end zone for the goal." The Bears' momentum would advance the upcoming ride as they opened up a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took control in the 2nd zone for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company began the game with a touchdown and also our experts thought it was actually going to be an ass-whipping. Definitely failed to wind up that way, even though our experts visited as well as our experts received a choice right afterwards, extremely. Our team believed our experts possessed all kinds of drive then and afterwards definitely it found yourself switching on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I think the a single thing regarding that was it was the very first play of the video game. That really worked in our benefit because if it was everything behind that, like in in the 4th quarter, it will be like, 'Oh my God!' It will be a challenging factor to recover coming from." Yet our experts had four fourths to bounce back and put that behind our company. So, for our team it was actually type of like, 'Okay, we made an effort. Embarassment on our company and then we can keep it moving currently.' Given that in the end, we knew offensively our team were actually mosting likely to score greater than 7 aspects, as well as I recognized defensively our company were going to maintain all of them coming from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their entire staff is actually ignited and also excited. Now when they begin to our team, their protection is mosting likely to be happening a thousand kilometers an hour due to the fact that the drive is currently on their side ... however the simple fact that there was still 59 1/2 mins left in the activity, we understood it wasn't over by any means. Our team felt in one's bones that this is actually the fella that will certainly ravage the game for us if our company don't avoid that. And clearly only viewing that 1st play was actually proof of that. Let's not boot him an additional round." Gilmore: "They obtained intelligent and also made a decision to boot it to John Gilmore. I had pair of gains during that activity. That's what takes place when Devin takes the position kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner supported this record.