.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, initially covering the Minnesota Vikings before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a recurring panelist on Around the Horn as well as range of Utmost Full week Ever Before on ESPN Radio. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She formerly worked at the San Jose Mercury Information as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the moment Devin Hester came back to his native South Fla for the most significant game of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was well on his means to coming to be the most effective yield specialist in NFL history.The former second-round pick, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually gotten first-team All-Pro recognition and Pro Dish tributes due to the time the Bears accelerated to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a profession- as well as league-high 47 punts with 3 leading to touchdowns in 2006. He likewise returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and racked up after returning a skipped field goal 108 lawns versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts possessed plenty of movie to examine as they planned for Chicago's a lot of risky weapon. They had seen Hester run a punting back 83 gardens for the consent touchdown to cap off a 20-point return win over the Cardinals. They experienced him rip past the St. Louis Rams twice in the exact same game to mark kickoff yield touchdowns of 94 and also 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the piece shake inside a wet Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and also elected to receive, the Colts delivered the opening kickoff right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 few seconds to sprint where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' goal, 92 backyards away, all while seeing himself on the videoboard as he captured the only TD yield of an opening first in Super Dish history.The setback coming from an ultimate 29-17 loss to the Colts carried out little to vanish the play that complements Hester's Venue of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will be actually preserved in Canton this weekend as the very first gamer elected to the Pro Football Hall of Prominence first and foremost as a zing returner a player that triggered one of the most renowned instants in NFL history.Devin Hester truly began the Super Dish with a house telephone call Among the best kick returners ever before turns 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For pair of full weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had come up with a tactical plan for Hester that focused on him certainly not touching the sphere. While the Bears' exclusive teams systems were actually one of the most eruptive in the league, the Colts positioned 30th in first coverage and 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Right here is how that strategy eventually yielded to among the best stimulating plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a risky aggressive staff. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. However insurance coverage, profits, they possessed the most effective unique crews unit in the NFL. Pub none. And the most effective returner, possibly in NFL record." Tony Dungy, Colts head trainer: "Our experts were kicking to the corners, our experts are actually hopping the round, our team are actually squibbing it, we are actually punting high, or even our team are actually punting away from bounds. Our team stated, 'He's certainly not visiting be a factor. Our team assume we may handle their offense.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his come backs for touchdowns were punts, not necessarily kickoffs [Hester came back three puntings as well as 2 kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood for certain the strategy was actually don't punt the ball to him. Try to punt it 40 lawns, forty five gardens, away from bounds. Compromise some proximity however carry out not allow him acquire the sphere in his palms." Our experts thought of it the other technique and didn't want to compromise a lots of yardage on first stuff, therefore due to the fact that we've obtained a number of our beginners therein, allow's try to affix him behind-the-scenes as well as see if our team can overload that side and attempt to reduce his return. Our experts exercised that all week long. It had not been also like our team were stressed to boot a touchback. Our experts were actually additional interested about striking it over in the edge, and if he records it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe however it is actually really near the side project, at that point our experts might make an effort to container him in a small amount." Reid: "The strategy was we are actually certainly not going to kick to him. He's as well dangerous." Days just before the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "Among our pastors provided a church company prior to the activity and also referred to David as well as Goliath as well as said, 'The factor David prospered is he had not been terrified. All the various other Israelites feared of Goliath.' So I started presuming, am I putting concern into our individuals' souls? Am I playing this incorrect? We can not be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as shocked as anybody that the Colts were stopping to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the sit back and also created record. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I modified my thoughts and also said if our experts shed the toss, our company are actually heading to begin. Our company are actually going to boot it to him, as well as I want you to decrease as well as extra pound him. And when our experts knock their champ down, that's visiting send out a message much like David." I spoke about it with Russ Purnell, our special staffs train, and also naturally he claimed we can easily cover, our company can possibly do this. Our team'll obtain him in the Super Bowl. Everyone desires to have their moment. No one desires to walk out there certainly as well as merely say, 'Hey, our team weren't aspect of this, or our experts really did not assist.' So it was reciprocal, but at the end of the day, it was my choice." Reid: "Pair of or even 3 times just before the game I moved the people to entice Train Dungy. I stated, 'Our team can easily handle him. Our company'll be great.' You could tell [Dungy] regreted concerning performing it, but he feels like: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique groups planner: "Every game that our team possessed, it was constantly a question of who is actually going to boot to him, that isn't mosting likely to kick to him. We understood that they had actually talked about not booting to him, but our team consistently thought as a staff that they were actually heading to boot to us in the Super Dish even if it is actually the Super Bowl." That's what I told all of them Sunday evening. I stated, 'They are actually heading to boot the ball right to our company.'" An unanticipated hurricane moved in to the Miami location on video game time as well as unloaded almost one inch of rain over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the night. A crowd of 74,512 checked out Hester as well as the Bears kickoff return group trot onto the industry to acquire the opening kick after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a rookie, his peace of mind when he took the field was unbelievable. Our experts took a ton of satisfaction in shutting out for him. Unique staffs had not been a job. It didn't feel like you were being actually disciplined for not being actually a starter. Whenever you stepped on the field with him in the yield video game, it was like, 'Man, our experts can easily take it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I always remember finding all these flashes click when the ball is being kicked off. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Going out to the game coming from the closet space felt unique. I have actually certainly never experienced everything like it. It resembled the motion pictures. There were Classical candlesticks being actually shot up and all the ashes were actually boiling down in slow mo. It totally possessed me bugged out. I got to the subsidiary as well as it resembled, 'Whoa, what only happened?' And after that we gain the piece shake as well as our team're acquiring. Speak about an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I pointed out if it goes in the end zone, receive that ball for him. That's what was in my thoughts because it was never ever done, had never ever been carried out just before." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it never entered my thoughts that he would rush a ball back for a goal. It definitely failed to. I've had 2 of them in Super Dishes. I booted one to [Veggie Gulf Packers large receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he ran it back for a touchdown. So it happened to me prior to, but at no time was I assuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually going to occur once more.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Hall of FameThe Venue of Fame Video Game in between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be actually telecasted on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of participates in that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney puts twist on tradition u2022 Mongo's fight, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't fearful when our team did it. I presumed, we'll place him in the edge, we'll attack him inside the 25 and we'll feel respectable regarding ourselves. And that is actually not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that visited of my oral cavity [when he found the ball headed his technique] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester got Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and also raised industry to the 20. The closest a Colts guardian would reach addressing him was protection Marlin Jackson, who was ins out of Hester, who accelerated off of his grasp. The Bears' block including Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid generated a space for Hester to blast past the very first wave of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Dish logo and also 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 industry, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he performed. He beat everybody every single time he performed that. The middle of the field was golden for Devin. They failed to would like to boot it down the mid to Devin, yet they seemingly were actually thinking about it a lot of, and if you presume you are actually beat. If they boot it down the middle of the field, I knew he was heading to rating." I kept talking about him residing in his backyard [on the show] I think I claimed, 'Coming from Riviera Coastline to the biggest phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are actually ludicrous.'" Harris: "I always remember reaching a man, it was actually most likely around the little Super Bowl company logo. I chipped this individual and also sort of saw [Devin] showing off through. And also when I reversed and I found he was actually out plus all the Colts white colored jackets chasing him, I claimed, 'All right, I have actually got to go satisfy him.' So I just removed on a dead sprint given that I knew he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "When he got past our initial surge of people, then our company have a protection on each edge and also me between. I knew I was as well away coming from him. If I can get close good enough to him to at least slow him down, maybe the quest can get to him. However he outwited the piss out of me, as well. That is actually the important things concerning Devin. When he has a little bit of room, keeping that sight, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 backyards for a goal with the opening kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged and also didn't touch him in any way, I resembled 'damn.' It is actually comical considering that after one play, my shirt is dirtier than any person's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was too much open area, so I understood right then and certainly there [after Vinatieri's try] It had not been a situation where I was actually affixed to a sideline as well as possessed the sideline working against me. Our company resided in the open area, so I understood he wasn't going to get me." Joniak: "I don't forget [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down as well as Devin found. I was actually thinking about why he was seeking out later on to find out that he was actually checking out themself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and also only stumbled him up and he detected completion region for the touchdown." The Bears' energy will advance the following ride as they opened up a 14-6 top, however the Colts took command in the 2nd region for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "We started the video game with a touchdown and also our experts assumed it was actually heading to be an ass-whipping. Actually didn't end up that way, despite the fact that our company visited and also our team obtained a pick right after that, extremely. Our team believed our team had all kinds of energy then and then undoubtedly it wound up moving on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I presume the one thing concerning that was it was actually the initial play of the game. That in fact functioned in our perk given that if it was everything behind that, like in in the fourth quarter, it would be like, 'Oh my The lord!' It would certainly be actually a tough factor to recover from." But our company possessed 4 one-fourths to recuperate and also put that responsible for us. Therefore, for our team it was actually type of like, 'All right, our company attempted. Pity on us and then our company can easily maintain it moving right now.' Because eventually, we knew offensively our company were actually mosting likely to score much more than 7 factors, as well as I knew defensively our experts were actually mosting likely to maintain all of them coming from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their whole group is actually fired up as well as thrilled. Right now when they start to us, their self defense is actually mosting likely to be coming a million miles an hour since the momentum is actually on their side ... however the fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 mins left in the activity, we knew it had not been over by any means. Our company just knew that this is the person that will ravage the game for our team if our company do not prevent that. As well as clearly simply seeing that first play was actually proof of that. Let's certainly not kick him an additional ball." Gilmore: "They got smart as well as made a decision to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed pair of profits in that video game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position first for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder helped in this record.