.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, actually dealing with the Minnesota Vikings prior to switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and also range of Utmost Week Ever on ESPN Radio. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She earlier worked at the San Jose Mercury Headlines as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the moment Devin Hester returned to his indigenous South Florida for the greatest game of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was effectively on his way to coming to be the very best gain specialist in NFL history.The previous second-round selection, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had already earned first-team All-Pro recognition as well as Pro Bowl respects by the opportunity the Bears accelerated to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a job- and also league-high 47 puntings with 3 resulting in goals in 2006. He also returned pair of firsts for touchdowns and also racked up after returning an overlooked basket 108 lawns versus the New York Giants.The Colts had plenty of movie to research as they prepared for Chicago's the majority of unsafe tool. They had seen Hester operate a punt back 83 gardens for the green light touchdown to cap off a 20-point revival win over the Cardinals. They observed him rip past the St. Louis Rams twice in the very same video game to scratch kickoff return goals of 94 and also 96 lawns, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the coin toss inside a rainy Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens as well as elected to obtain, the Colts delivered the opening kickoff right in to Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 seconds to dash from where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' end zone, 92 lawns away, all while seeing himself on the videoboard as he documented the only TD yield of a position kickoff in Super Bowl history.The letdown from a resulting 29-17 reduction to the Colts performed little bit of to fade the play that emphasizes Hester's Hall of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect will be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the initial player elected to the Pro Regulation Football Hall of Popularity first and foremost as a zing returner a player who stimulated among one of the most legendary moments in NFL history.Devin Hester really started the Super Dish along with a house phone call One of the greatest zing returners ever before transforms 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For two full weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had crafted a strategic plan for Hester that focused on him not touching the ball. While the Bears' unique staffs systems were one of the most explosive in the organization, the Colts rated 30th in kickoff protection as well as 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Right here is actually how that planning essentially yielded to one of the best exciting plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a hazardous offensive team. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet coverage, profits, they possessed the greatest special crews device in the NFL. Club none. And the greatest returner, possibly in NFL record." Tony Dungy, Colts head trainer: "We were actually booting to the edges, our company are actually jumping the ball, our team are actually squibbing it, our experts are actually punting higher, or our company are actually punting out of bounds. We stated, 'He's not going to be a factor. Our company believe our company may handle their offense.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his profits for touchdowns were actually punts, not always kickoffs [Hester returned three puntings as well as 2 firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood without a doubt the game plan was don't punt the round to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 backyards, 45 yards, out of bounds. Lose some proximity but do not let him acquire the sphere in his palms." Our experts thought of it the other way as well as failed to intend to sacrifice a lot of yardage on first stuff, therefore because our team've got a couple of our starters in there, permit's make an effort to affix him in a corner as well as observe if our experts can easily overload that edge and also attempt to lessen his yield. Our experts exercised that all full week long. It had not been even like our experts were fretted to boot a touchback. Our experts were more worried about hitting it over in the corner, as well as if he records it at the 2- or even 3-yard pipe but it is actually definitely near the sideline, after that we can try to package him in a little." Reid: "The game plan was we're certainly not heading to kick to him. He's also hazardous." Times prior to the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy changed his mind.Dungy: "Some of our pastors offered a chapel service before the activity and spoke about David as well as Goliath and also stated, 'The explanation David succeeded is he wasn't scared. All the other Israelites were afraid of Goliath.' So I began presuming, am I placing anxiety into our guys' centers? Am I playing this inappropriate? Our experts can not be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as startled as anybody that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the sit back as well as made background. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I modified my mind as well as mentioned if our experts drop the shake, our team are actually mosting likely to start. Our experts are actually visiting boot it to him, as well as I wish you to go down as well as pound him. And when our experts take their champ down, that's mosting likely to send an information similar to David." I spoke about it along with Russ Purnell, our unique groups coach, and naturally he claimed we may deal with, our company can possibly do this. Our team'll receive him in the Super Dish. Everybody would like to possess their moment. No one wishes to walk out certainly there and also just mention, 'Hey, our experts weren't component of this, or our company really did not assist.' So it was mutual, but in the end of the time, it was my decision." Reid: "Two or even 3 days before the video game I rallied the guys to entice Coach Dungy. I pointed out, 'Our experts can easily handle him. Our team'll be actually fine.' You can inform [Dungy] worried regarding doing it, yet he feels like: 'OK, I trust you people.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique crews organizer: "Every game that we had, it was always a question of who is actually going to boot to him, who isn't heading to kick to him. We understood that they had actually referred to not kicking to him, but our company constantly assumed as a team that they were going to kick to our team in the Super Dish even if it's the Super Dish." That's what I told them Saturday evening. I claimed, 'They are actually mosting likely to kick the ball right to our team.'" An unexpected storm moved in to the Miami location on activity day and unloaded nearly one in of storm over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the night. A group of 74,512 viewed Hester and also the Bears first profit group trot onto the field to acquire the opening zing following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a novice, his assurance when he took the industry was unbelievable. Our company took a considerable amount of pride in blocking for him. Unique crews wasn't a task. It didn't believe that you were being disciplined for certainly not being a starter. Any time you stepped on the area along with him in the profit game, it resembled, 'Guy, our company may take it to your home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I always remember seeing all these flashes click when the ball is being started. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Running out to the game from the locker room felt unique. I've never experienced everything like it. It was like the movies. There were Classical candles being soared and all the coal were actually boiling down in slow motion. It completely possessed me annoyed out. I got to the side project as well as it was like, 'Whoa, what only happened?' And after that our team succeed the coin toss and also our company are actually acquiring. Discuss an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I said if it enters completion zone, receive that ball for him. That's what resided in my mind because it was never performed, had actually never been carried out just before." Vinatieri: "Frankly it certainly never entered my thoughts that he would dash a sphere back for a touchdown. It really failed to. I have actually had 2 of all of them in Super Bowls. I booted one to [Eco-friendly Bay Packers broad receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he operated it back for a touchdown. So it took place to me just before, but at no time was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually visiting happen again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Venue of FameThe Venue of Popularity Activity in between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will certainly be actually televised on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 participates in that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney puts twist on legacy u2022 Mongo's match, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I had not been fearful when our team performed it. I assumed, our experts'll put him in the section, our team'll tackle him inside the 25 and our team'll really feel respectable regarding our own selves. Which is actually never what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that visited of my oral cavity [when he saw the sphere moved his way] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line as well as added area to the 20. The closest a Colts protector would get to handling him was actually safety Marlin Jackson, who was ins away from Hester, that accelerated off of his knowledge. The Bears' block featuring Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid generated a void for Hester to blast past the 1st surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Bowl company logo and started dashing parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it halfway of the industry, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he carried out. He eluded everybody each time he performed that. The center of the field was gold for Devin. They failed to intend to kick it down the mid to Devin, yet they apparently were thinking of it too much, as well as if you believe you're defeated. If they boot it down the center of the industry, I knew he was going to rating." I always kept discussing him residing in his backyard [on the show] I think I said, 'From Riviera Seaside to the biggest phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are foolish.'" Harris: "I always remember striking a guy, it was possibly around the little bit of Super Dish logo design. I chipped this fella and also sort of saw [Devin] flashing by. And also when I turned around and I viewed he was actually out and all the Colts white colored jerseys chasing him, I stated, 'Okay, I have actually come to go satisfy him.' So I merely removed on a lifeless sprint because I recognized he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "The moment he got past our initial surge of men, then our experts possess a protection on each edge and also me in between. I knew I was too distant coming from him. If I might obtain close sufficient to him to at the very least sluggish him down, possibly the interest could reach him. But he outwited the piss out of me, too. That is actually the many things concerning Devin. When he possesses a bit of space, keeping that sight, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 backyards for a goal along with the opening first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and also didn't touch him in any way, I resembled 'damn.' It's amusing given that after one play, my jersey is dirtier than anybody's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually way too much available area, so I knew ideal at that point and also there certainly [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a scenario where I was affixed to a subsidiary as well as possessed the side project working against me. We resided in the open industry, so I knew he wasn't going to acquire me." Joniak: "I keep in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and Devin searched for. I was thinking about why he was actually seeking out eventually to find out that he was considering himself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and merely stumbled him up as well as he detected the end zone for the goal." The Bears' drive would certainly continue the next ride as they opened up a 14-6 lead, but the Colts took command in the second region for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our team began the activity with a touchdown and our experts assumed it was visiting be an ass-whipping. Definitely failed to wind up that way, despite the fact that we appeared and we received a pick right after that, very. Our team believed our experts had all sort of momentum at that point and afterwards definitely it wound up changing on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I think the one thing concerning that was it was the initial play of the activity. That in fact operated in our advantage because if it was just about anything later than that, like in in the 4th quarter, it would feel like, 'Oh my The lord!' It would be actually a challenging point to recover coming from." However our company possessed four one-fourths to recover and also place that behind our company. Therefore, for our company it was actually kind of like, 'All right, our team attempted. Embarassment on our team and then we can easily maintain it relocating currently.' Due to the fact that in the long run, we knew offensively our team were visiting rack up greater than 7 factors, as well as I recognized defensively our team were going to keep all of them from recording." Vinatieri: "Their entire group is actually fired up and thrilled. Currently when they start to our company, their protection is actually heading to be actually happening a thousand miles a hr because the momentum is actually already on their side ... yet the simple fact that there was still 59 1/2 mins left behind in the game, we knew it had not been over whatsoever. Our company just knew that this is actually the guy that is going to damage the ready our company if our company do not stop that. As well as clearly only enjoying that very first play was actually evidence of that. Permit's not boot him one more sphere." Gilmore: "They acquired intelligent and made a decision to boot it to John Gilmore. I had 2 gains because video game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder brought about this record.