.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, actually covering the Minnesota Vikings prior to shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a regular panelist on Around the Horn and host of Utmost Full week Ever Before on ESPN Radio. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She formerly operated at the San Jose Mercury Updates as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester returned to his native South Florida for the largest video game of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was actually effectively on his means to coming to be the best yield specialist in NFL history.The previous second-round choice, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually gotten first-team All-Pro recognition and also Pro Bowl honors by the opportunity the Bears advanced to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a job- and league-high 47 puntings along with three causing touchdowns in 2006. He also returned two firsts for touchdowns and scored after coming back an overlooked basket 108 lawns versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts had lots of movie to examine as they organized Chicago's most unsafe weapon. They had seen Hester manage a punting back 83 backyards for the permission touchdown to top off a 20-point resurgence sway the Cardinals. They witnessed him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the exact same activity to mark first gain touchdowns of 94 and also 96 lawns, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the piece toss inside a rainy Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens as well as elected to receive, the Colts sent out the opening kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 few seconds to dash from where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' end line, 92 lawns away, all while watching himself on the videoboard as he tape-recorded the only TD profit of a position kickoff in Super Bowl history.The disappointment from an eventual 29-17 reduction to the Colts carried out little to vanish the play that accentuates Hester's Hall of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will definitely be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the very first gamer elected to the Pro Soccer Hall of Prominence primarily as a zing returner a player who triggered some of the best iconic seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester truly started the Super Bowl along with a home telephone call One of the greatest kick returners ever before switches 40 today.( through @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For 2 full weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had put together a game plan for Hester that hinged on him not touching the ball. While the Bears' exclusive staffs systems were actually one of the most eruptive in the game, the Colts rated 30th in kickoff protection and also 32nd in punt protection. Below is actually how that planning eventually yielded to one of the best impressive plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't a harmful aggressive group. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. But coverage, profits, they possessed the very best exclusive groups system in the NFL. Club none. And the most effective returner, most likely in NFL history." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "Our company were actually kicking to the corners, our team are actually jumping the ball, we're squibbing it, we are actually punting high, or we're punting out of bounds. Our company claimed, 'He is actually certainly not going to be an aspect. Our experts assume our experts may handle their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his profits for goals were actually punts, certainly not automatically kickoffs [Hester came back 3 puntings and also 2 firsts for TDs in 2006] We knew for certain the game plan was actually do not punt the round to him. Attempt to punt it 40 backyards, 45 backyards, out of bounds. Compromise some proximity yet perform not let him acquire the ball in his hands." Our team considered it the other technique and failed to want to sacrifice a ton of yardage on first stuff, therefore given that we have actually received a couple of our beginners therein, allow's try to affix him in a corner and observe if our company can easily overload that edge and also try to minimize his yield. Our team practiced that all week long. It had not been even like our company were paniced to boot a touchback. We were additional anxious about striking it over in the corner, and also if he catches it at the 2- or even 3-yard line yet it's actually near to the subsidiary, at that point our company could make an effort to carton him in a small amount." Reid: "The strategic plan was our team're certainly not mosting likely to boot to him. He is actually as well dangerous." Times before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "One of our chaplains offered a church service before the activity as well as referred to David and also Giant and also said, 'The explanation David prospered is he wasn't hesitant. All the various other Israelites hesitated of Goliath.' So I began presuming, am I putting fear into our individuals' hearts? Am I playing this incorrect? Our team can not be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as stunned as any person that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the storm became, Hester took the take it easy and brought in record. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I modified my thoughts and pointed out if we lose the shake, our team're mosting likely to kick off. Our experts're visiting kick it to him, and also I want you to drop and also pound him. As well as when we knock their champion down, that's mosting likely to deliver a notification similar to David." I talked about it with Russ Purnell, our exclusive groups instructor, and also naturally he mentioned our team may cover, we can possibly do this. Our company'll get him in the Super Dish. Everybody would like to possess their moment. No person intends to go out certainly there and also merely claim, 'Hey, our team weren't aspect of this, or our team didn't assist.' So it was reciprocal, however in the end of the time, it was my choice." Reid: "2 or 3 times prior to the video game I moved the people to convince Train Dungy. I said, 'Our company can easily manage him. We'll be actually fine.' You could say to [Dungy] felt uneasy concerning doing it, yet he feels like: 'OK, I trust you individuals.'" Dave Toub, Bears special crews coordinator: "Every activity that our experts had, it was always an inquiry of who is actually heading to boot to him, who isn't heading to boot to him. We understood that they had actually spoken about not kicking to him, yet we constantly presumed as a personnel that they were heading to kick to us in the Super Dish just because it is actually the Super Bowl." That's what I told them Saturday night. I stated, 'They're mosting likely to boot the ball right to us.'" An unexpected hurricane moved right into the Miami place on game time and also dumped almost one inch of rain over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 watched Hester and also the Bears kickoff gain group trot onto the field to get the position kick following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a rookie, his assurance when he took the area was unreal. Our team took a great deal of honor in blocking for him. Special crews wasn't a job. It failed to feel like you were actually being actually disciplined for certainly not being actually a starter. Whenever you tromped the industry along with him in the return activity, it felt like, 'Guy, our company can easily get it to our home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I don't forget observing all these flashes click when the sphere is actually being actually began. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Ending to the activity coming from the locker room experienced surreal. I've certainly never felt everything like it. It felt like the movies. There were actually Roman candlesticks being shot up plus all the coal were boiling down in slow mo. It absolutely possessed me annoyed out. I got to the sideline and also it was like, 'Whoa, what merely happened?' And afterwards our team succeed the piece shake as well as our team're getting. Refer to an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears devices supervisor: "I pointed out if it enters completion area, acquire that reception for him. That's what remained in my thoughts because it was actually certainly never carried out, had certainly never been performed just before." Vinatieri: "Honestly it never ever entered my mind that he would dash a ball back for a goal. It actually failed to. I've possessed two of them in Super Dishes. I booted one to [Veggie Gulf Packers large receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and he operated it back for a touchdown. So it took place to me just before, however at no opportunity was I assuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually mosting likely to occur once again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Hall of FameThe Hall of Popularity Video Game between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be actually aired on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of plays that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney places spin on heritage u2022 Mongo's battle, journey to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been fearful when we performed it. I believed, our company'll place him in the edge, our team'll attack him inside the 25 and also our company'll experience good regarding our own selves. And that is actually never what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that showed up of my mouth [when he saw the ball headed his way] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line as well as ran up field to the twenty. The closest a Colts defender will reach handling him was safety Marlin Jackson, who was inches out of Hester, that accelerated off of his knowledge. The Bears' block featuring Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid generated a gap for Hester to blast past the initial surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Bowl company logo as well as began dashing parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made the cut to the middle of the area, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he did. He eluded everybody whenever he did that. The center of the area was gold for Devin. They didn't want to boot it down the mid to Devin, but they relatively were actually dealing with it excessive, and also if you think you are actually beat. If they boot it down the center of the industry, I knew he was going to credit rating." I maintained discussing him being in his yard [on the broadcast] I believe I pointed out, 'From Riviera Seashore to the most significant stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually absurd.'" Harris: "I keep in mind hitting a fella, it was probably around the little bit of Super Dish logo. I cracked this man and also type of saw [Devin] flashing through. And when I shifted and also I saw he was out and all the Colts white jackets chasing him, I mentioned, 'All right, I've reached go satisfy him.' So I simply removed on a lifeless sprint since I knew he was racking up." Vinatieri: "When he got past our initial wave of guys, at that point our company possess a protection on each edge and me in the center. I understood I was also away from him. If I can obtain close sufficient to him to at least sluggish him down, maybe the quest can get to him. But he juked the piss away from me, too. That is actually things concerning Devin. When he possesses a small amount of space, with that said vision, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 yards for a goal with the position first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and didn't touch him at all, I was like 'damn.' It is actually comical considering that after one play, my jersey is actually dirtier than anybody's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was a lot of open field, so I recognized best at that point as well as there [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a situation where I was actually affixed to a subsidiary and had the side project antagonizing me. We remained in the available industry, so I recognized he had not been going to acquire me." Joniak: "I don't forget [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and also Devin found. I was wondering why he was seeking out later on to find out that he was checking out themself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him and also only stumbled him up and he tumbled into completion zone for the touchdown." The Bears' drive would continue on the next ride as they opened up a 14-6 lead, however the Colts took command in the second area for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company started the activity with a touchdown and also our team assumed it was actually going to be actually an ass-whipping. Definitely really did not wind up this way, even though our team showed up as well as our experts acquired a pick right after that, extremely. Our team believed we had all kinds of momentum then and afterwards undoubtedly it found yourself switching on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I think the the main thing regarding that was it was the 1st play of the video game. That actually functioned in our advantage because if it was actually anything behind that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it would certainly resemble, 'Oh my God!' It would certainly be actually a challenging point to recoup coming from." But our team had four one-fourths to recuperate as well as place that behind our company. Therefore, for us it was kind of like, 'All right, our team tried. Shame on our company and after that we can easily maintain it relocating currently.' Given that in the end, we knew offensively our experts were actually going to count more than seven aspects, as well as I knew defensively our team were actually heading to keep all of them from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their whole group is ignited and also delighted. Now when they begin to us, their self defense is actually going to be coming a thousand kilometers a hr considering that the drive is actually on their edge ... yet the reality that there was still 59 1/2 mins left in the activity, we knew it had not been over whatsoever. Our company just knew that this is the guy that is going to trash the ready us if our team don't stop that. And also obviously just viewing that initial play was actually evidence of that. Permit's certainly not kick him an additional sphere." Gilmore: "They obtained clever as well as decided to boot it to John Gilmore. I had 2 returns during that video game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner brought about this document.