.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, initially dealing with the Minnesota Vikings before switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a regular panelist on Around the Horn as well as host of Best Full week Ever Before on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She formerly operated at the San Jose Mercury Headlines as a multimedia sporting activities journalist.By the moment Devin Hester returned to his indigenous South Florida for the most significant activity of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was well on his means to becoming the most effective yield specialist in NFL history.The previous second-round choice, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually currently earned first-team All-Pro acknowledgment as well as Pro Dish honors due to the opportunity the Bears advanced to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a job- and also league-high 47 puntings with 3 leading to touchdowns in 2006. He likewise came back pair of kickoffs for goals and also scored after coming back a missed out on basket 108 backyards versus the New york city Giants.The Colts possessed lots of film to analyze as they planned for Chicago's a lot of dangerous tool. They had seen Hester run a punting back 83 gardens for the go-ahead touchdown to top off a 20-point revival sway the Cardinals. They saw him rip past the St. Louis Rams two times in the very same activity to scratch first return touchdowns of 94 and 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece throw inside a wet Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and also elected to get, the Colts sent out the position kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 few seconds to sprint from where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' goal, 92 lawns away, all while viewing themself on the videoboard as he tape-recorded the only TD return of an opening first in Super Bowl history.The disappointment from an ultimate 29-17 reduction to the Colts performed little to fade the play that highlights Hester's Hall of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will be preserved in Canton this weekend as the first gamer selected to the Pro Regulation Football Venue of Popularity first and foremost as a zing returner a gamer that stimulated one of one of the most famous moments in NFL history.Devin Hester really started the Super Dish along with a residence call One of the greatest kick returners ever transforms 40 today.( by means of @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 actually come up with a strategic plan for Hester that focused on him not touching the ball. While the Bears' exclusive groups systems were the most explosive in the game, the Colts rated 30th in first protection as well as 32nd in punt coverage. Below is actually just how that strategy inevitably yielded to among the most exciting plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a risky aggressive crew. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet protection, come back, they possessed the best special teams device in the NFL. Club none. And also the most effective returner, perhaps in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "Our team were actually booting to the edges, we are actually bouncing the sphere, our company are actually squibbing it, we are actually punting higher, or we are actually punting away from bounds. We said, 'He's not mosting likely to be actually an element. Our experts presume we can regulate their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his returns for touchdowns were punts, certainly not essentially kickoffs [Hester came back 3 punts as well as two kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew for certain the strategic plan was do not punt the sphere to him. Attempt to punt it 40 backyards, 45 backyards, out of bounds. Compromise some proximity yet do certainly not let him get the sphere in his palms." Our experts considered it the various other method and also really did not wish to give up a lot of yardage on first stuff, so due to the fact that our company've acquired a couple of our starters in there, allow's attempt to affix him behind-the-scenes as well as observe if our experts can easily overload that edge as well as make an effort to reduce his return. Our experts exercised that all week long. It had not been also like our team were paniced to boot a touchback. Our experts were actually more anxious concerning striking it over in the edge, and if he catches it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe however it is actually actually near to the sideline, at that point our team could make an effort to package him in a small amount." Reid: "The strategic plan was we're not mosting likely to kick to him. He's as well risky." Times before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "One of our pastors provided a church service just before the game and also discussed David as well as Goliath as well as stated, 'The main reason David succeeded is he had not been worried. All the various other Israelites feared of Goliath.' So I started believing, am I placing worry into our individuals' hearts? Am I playing this inappropriate? Our team can not fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as surprised as any individual that the Colts were kicking to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the storm became, Hester took the kick back and also made background. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I altered my thoughts and also claimed if our experts lose the throw, we are actually going to begin. Our experts are actually going to kick it to him, and I prefer you to go down and pound him. And also when our team knock their champion down, that is actually mosting likely to deliver an information much like David." I referred to it with Russ Purnell, our exclusive teams trainer, as well as certainly he mentioned we can easily deal with, we can possibly do this. Our company'll obtain him in the Super Bowl. Everybody wants to have their minute. Nobody desires to go out there certainly and also merely point out, 'Hey, we weren't part of this, or we didn't support.' So it was reciprocal, however at the end of the day, it was my decision." Reid: "Two or even 3 times prior to the game I moved the fellas to convince Train Dungy. I pointed out, 'We can handle him. We'll be alright.' You could possibly say to [Dungy] regreted regarding doing it, however he resembles: 'OK, I trust you people.'" Dave Toub, Bears special groups organizer: "Every game that our experts had, it was actually regularly an inquiry of that's going to kick to him, who isn't mosting likely to boot to him. We knew that they had talked about not booting to him, yet our experts always supposed as a workers that they were going to boot to us in the Super Bowl just because it's the Super Dish." That's what I told them Saturday evening. I said, 'They are actually visiting boot the round right to our company.'" An unanticipated hurricane moved into the Miami area on activity time and also poured nearly one inch of rain over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 seen Hester and also the Bears first yield group trot onto the field to obtain the position zing just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a novice, his peace of mind when he took the industry was actually unreal. Our experts took a bunch of satisfaction in blocking for him. Special teams wasn't a duty. It failed to feel like you were being disciplined for not being actually a starter. At any time you tromped the area with him in the yield activity, it felt like, 'Guy, our team may get it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is pre-smartphones. I remember finding all these flashes click on when the round is actually being began. That was actually unbelievable." Gilmore: "Going out to the video game from the storage locker area experienced unique. I've never really felt anything like it. It felt like the films. There were actually Roman candle lights being soared plus all the ashes were boiling down in funeral pace. It totally had me pestered out. I came to the subsidiary and also it was like, 'Whoa, what merely taken place?' And after that our experts gain the piece toss and our company're obtaining. Discuss an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I said if it enters completion region, get that ball for him. That's what resided in my mind given that it was never ever performed, had never been carried out just before." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it never entered my thoughts that he will rush a sphere back for a touchdown. It actually didn't. I have actually had two of all of them in Super Containers. I kicked one to [Veggie Bay Packers vast receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and also he operated it back for a goal. So it occurred to me prior to, however at no time was I thinking, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually heading to take place once more.' 2024 Pro Soccer Hall of FameThe Hall of Fame Game in between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be actually telecasted on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of plays that define Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney places twist on heritage u2022 Mongo's battle, quest to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't horrendous when we did it. I believed, our company'll put him in the corner, we'll confront him inside the 25 as well as our company'll experience fair concerning ourselves. And that is actually not what took place." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that visited of my mouth [when he saw the round moved his way] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester got Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and ran up area to the twenty. The closest a Colts defender would come to addressing him was actually protection Marlin Jackson, that was inches away from Hester, that sped up away from his knowledge. The Bears' wedge consisting of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid produced a space for Hester to blast past the very first wave of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Bowl logo as well as began running alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal 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 time he did that. The center of the industry was gold for Devin. They failed to desire to kick it down the mid to Devin, yet they relatively were actually thinking of it excessive, as well as if you believe you're trumped. If they kick it down the middle of the industry, I recognized he was heading to rating." I kept speaking about him residing in his yard [on the broadcast] I feel I stated, 'Coming from Riviera Coastline to the biggest stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually ridiculous.'" Harris: "I bear in mind hitting a fella, it was most likely around the little bit of Super Bowl company logo. I broke this individual and kind of saw [Devin] flashing by. As well as when I turned around and also I viewed he was actually out and all the Colts white jerseys chasing him, I mentioned, 'All right, I've come to go fulfill him.' So I only took off on a dead sprint given that I knew he was racking up." Vinatieri: "When he got past our initial wave of men, at that point our company possess a protection on each edge and me in between. I knew I was actually also distant coming from him. If I can receive close enough to him to at least slow him down, maybe the pursuit can reach him. However he juked the piss out of me, too. That is actually the important things regarding Devin. When he has a small amount of room, with that vision, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 lawns for a touchdown along with the position kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged and also failed to touch him in all, I felt like 'damn.' It is actually funny given that after one play, my jersey is actually dirtier than anyone's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually way too much open area, so I knew best then and there certainly [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a situation where I was actually affixed to a side project and had the side project antagonizing me. Our team resided in the available industry, so I knew he had not been going to obtain me." Joniak: "I always remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and Devin searched for. I was pondering why he was seeking out later to know that he was considering themself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him and merely tripped him up and also he tumbled into the end zone for the touchdown." The Bears' drive will continue on the next travel as they opened a 14-6 lead, however the Colts took command in the 2nd area for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts started the game along with a touchdown and also our experts assumed it was actually heading to be actually an ass-whipping. Actually didn't wind up this way, despite the fact that our company emerged and also our company obtained a selection right afterwards, extremely. Our company presumed our company possessed all sort of momentum then and then definitely it ended up switching on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I assume the one point about that was it was actually the 1st play of the activity. That actually functioned in our perk because if it was anything later than that, like in in the 4th quarter, it will resemble, 'Oh my God!' It would be actually a challenging thing to bounce back coming from." But our experts had four fourths to bounce back as well as put that responsible for us. Therefore, for us it was type of like, 'Okay, our team tried. Embarassment on our company and after that we may maintain it relocating now.' Given that in the long run, we knew offensively our team were actually mosting likely to score more than seven aspects, and I understood defensively our experts were visiting keep all of them coming from counting." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire team is ignited and thrilled. Now when they start to us, their defense is mosting likely to be actually coming a thousand miles an hour given that the energy is actually actually on their side ... however the fact that there was still 59 1/2 mins left behind in the game, we knew it had not been over whatsoever. We just knew that this is actually the fella that is going to damage the game for our company if our team do not avoid that. And also definitely simply viewing that first play was evidence of that. Allow's not kick him another ball." Gilmore: "They received wise and determined to kick it to John Gilmore. I possessed pair of profits during that activity. That's what happens when Devin takes the opening first for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Owner resulted in this file.