.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings before shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a recurring panelist on Around the Horn and hold of Best Full week Ever Before on ESPN Radio. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She formerly worked at the San Jose Mercury News as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the moment Devin Hester came back to his indigenous South Fla for the biggest video game of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was actually effectively on his method to ending up being the very best gain professional in NFL history.The past second-round pick, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had presently made first-team All-Pro awareness as well as Pro Bowl respects by the opportunity the Bears advanced to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a career- and also league-high 47 punts along with 3 resulting in goals in 2006. He also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and scored after coming back a missed out on field goal 108 yards versus the New york city Giants.The Colts possessed a lot of movie to research as they got ready for Chicago's many unsafe weapon. They had actually viewed Hester manage a punting back 83 gardens for the go-ahead touchdown to cap off a 20-point resurgence get the Cardinals. They experienced him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the very same video game to mark first gain goals of 94 as well as 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the piece throw inside a rainy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and selected to get, the Colts delivered the position first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 seconds to run from where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' end line, 92 gardens away, all while watching himself on the videoboard as he tape-recorded the only TD gain of a position first in Super Dish history.The disappointment coming from a resulting 29-17 reduction to the Colts did little to fade the play that highlights Hester's Venue of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will definitely be enshrined in Canton this weekend as the first player chosen to the Pro Soccer Venue of Popularity initially as a kick returner a gamer who triggered some of the best famous moments in NFL history.Devin Hester actually began the Super Bowl along with a residence telephone call Among the greatest zing returners ever switches 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For pair of full weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had actually put together a tactical plan for Hester that hinged on him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' exclusive crews units were actually the most eruptive in the game, the Colts ranked 30th in kickoff insurance coverage as well as 32nd in punt protection. Here is actually just how that plan inevitably yielded to among the most stimulating plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a risky offensive staff. They had [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. However coverage, come back, they possessed the very best unique staffs system in the NFL. Pub none. And also the very best returner, perhaps in NFL record." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "We were actually booting to the sections, our team're hopping the ball, we are actually squibbing it, our experts are actually punting high, or our experts are actually punting away from bounds. We claimed, 'He is actually certainly not going to be a factor. Our team believe our experts can regulate their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his profits for goals were actually punts, not essentially kickoffs [Hester came back 3 puntings and also pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We knew for certain the game plan was actually do not punt the round to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 yards, forty five yards, away from bounds. Lose some span but do not allow him obtain the ball in his hands." Our company dealt with it the various other technique and failed to desire to give up a lots of yardage on first stuff, therefore given that we have actually got a couple of our starters therein, let's attempt to affix him behind-the-scenes as well as find if our experts can overload that edge and try to minimize his gain. Our team exercised that all full week long. It wasn't also like our company were paniced to boot a touchback. Our company were even more worried about hitting it over in the edge, and if he records it at the 2- or even 3-yard pipe however it is actually actually close to the subsidiary, at that point our company could try to container him in a little bit." Reid: "The strategic plan was our experts are actually certainly not going to kick to him. He is actually too risky." Times prior to the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "Some of our pastors offered a chapel solution prior to the video game and talked about David and also Giant as well as claimed, 'The reason David succeeded is he had not been worried. All the various other Israelites hesitated of Giant.' So I began believing, am I placing worry into our individuals' hearts? Am I playing this wrong? Our team can not fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as surprised as any person that the Colts were kicking to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the rainfall fell, Hester took the kick back as well as created background. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I modified my mind and also stated if our company lose the shake, our experts are actually visiting kick off. Our company're going to kick it to him, and I want you to decrease and extra pound him. As well as when we knock their champ down, that is actually going to send a message similar to David." I talked about it along with Russ Purnell, our unique groups train, and also obviously he mentioned our experts can deal with, our company may do this. We'll get him in the Super Bowl. Everybody desires to possess their instant. No person would like to walk out there and just mention, 'Hey, our team weren't portion of this, or our experts really did not support.' So it was actually mutual, yet by the end of the day, it was my decision." Reid: "Pair of or even three days just before the game I moved the people to encourage Coach Dungy. I pointed out, 'We may manage him. Our company'll be actually fine.' You might tell [Dungy] regreted regarding doing it, however he resembles: 'OK, I trust you guys.'" Dave Toub, Bears special staffs coordinator: "Every activity that our company had, it was actually regularly a concern of that is actually mosting likely to kick to him, that isn't visiting kick to him. We knew that they had actually talked about certainly not booting to him, however our team always supposed as a team that they were mosting likely to kick to us in the Super Dish just because it's the Super Dish." That's what I told them Saturday night. I claimed, 'They are actually going to boot the ball right to our company.'" An unexpected hurricane relocated right into the Miami region on game time and disposed almost one in of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the night. A group of 74,512 checked out Hester and also the Bears kickoff profit crew trot onto the field to get the position kick following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a newbie, his peace of mind when he took the industry was actually unreal. Our company took a great deal of satisfaction in blocking out for him. Unique staffs wasn't a job. It failed to feel like you were being actually reprimanded for certainly not being actually a starter. Any time you stepped on the area with him in the profit video game, it was like, 'Male, our team can easily get it to your home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I always remember finding all these flashes hit when the round is actually being actually started. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Ending to the game from the closet space really felt unique. I've certainly never felt just about anything like it. It felt like the motion pictures. There were Roman candlesticks being actually soared and all the ashes were actually boiling down in slow motion. It entirely had me pestered out. I got to the sideline and it resembled, 'Whoa, what merely taken place?' And after that our company win the piece toss as well as we're obtaining. Refer to an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears tools manager: "I claimed if it goes in the end zone, acquire that reception for him. That's what resided in my mind since it was actually never carried out, had actually never ever been actually done before." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it never entered my mind that he will run a sphere back for a goal. It really didn't. I have actually had 2 of all of them in Super Dishes. I booted one to [Green Gulf Packers broad receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and he operated it back for a touchdown. So it occurred to me prior to, yet at no opportunity was I thinking, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually heading to happen once more.' 2024 Pro Football Venue of FameThe Venue of Prominence Game between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be telecasted on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of participates in that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney puts spin on legacy u2022 Mongo's battle, experience to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't horrendous when our experts did it. I thought, our team'll place him in the section, we'll attack him inside the 25 and we'll experience good concerning our own selves. And also's never what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that emerged of my mouth [when he viewed the ball moved his means] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester got Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and also raised industry to the twenty. The closest a Colts guardian would get to handling him was protection Marlin Jackson, that was actually ins far from Hester, that sped up out of his knowledge. The Bears' wedge including Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid made a gap for Hester to blow past the initial surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish logo design as well as began running alongside 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 performed. He outran everyone every time he carried out that. The middle of the industry was golden for Devin. They failed to want to boot it down the mid to Devin, however they apparently were actually thinking of it a lot of, as well as if you think you are actually trumped. If they boot it down the center of the field, I understood he was going to score." I always kept talking about him remaining in his yard [on the show] I think I mentioned, 'From Riviera Beach to the greatest stage in sports, Devin Hester, you are actually outrageous.'" Harris: "I always remember striking a man, it was actually most likely around the little Super Bowl company logo. I damaged this guy and type of saw [Devin] showing off by. And when I shifted and also I observed he was out plus all the Colts white jerseys chasing him, I stated, 'All right, I have actually come to go fulfill him.' So I just took off on a dead sprint considering that I recognized he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "The moment he got past our initial surge of individuals, after that our team possess a security on each side and also me in between. I recognized I was also far away from him. If I can obtain close good enough to him to at the very least sluggish him down, possibly the interest can reach him. But he juked the piss out of me, as well. That's the thing concerning Devin. When he possesses a small amount of area, with that said sight, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 yards for a touchdown along with the position first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and failed to touch him in any way, I was like 'damn.' It is actually amusing due to the fact that after one play, my jersey is dirtier than anybody's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually a lot of open field, so I knew appropriate at that point as well as there certainly [after Vinatieri's effort] It wasn't a condition where I was pinned to a subsidiary as well as had the subsidiary working against me. Our experts remained in the available area, so I recognized he had not been going to obtain me." Joniak: "I don't forget [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down as well as Devin found. I was asking yourself why he was looking up later on to discover that he was considering themself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him and also just tripped him up and also he detected completion area for the goal." The Bears' momentum would certainly continue the following ride as they opened a 14-6 top, yet the Colts took control in the second quarter for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts began the video game along with a goal and also our team thought it was actually visiting be actually an ass-whipping. Really really did not wind up this way, although we emerged as well as our company acquired a selection right afterwards, extremely. Our experts presumed our experts possessed all kinds of momentum then and then clearly it wound up switching on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive end: "I think the a single thing about that was it was the very first play of the activity. That in fact operated in our benefit considering that if it was actually anything later than that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would be like, 'Oh my The lord!' It would certainly be actually a challenging point to recover from." Yet our team possessed 4 quarters to bounce back as well as put that behind our team. So, for our team it was kind of like, 'All right, our experts attempted. Shame on our team and after that our experts may keep it moving now.' Due to the fact that in the end, we understood offensively we were going to rack up greater than seven factors, as well as I recognized defensively we were actually heading to keep them coming from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their whole crew is ignited and thrilled. Right now when they begin to our team, their defense is heading to be actually happening a million miles a hr since the momentum is actually currently on their side ... yet the reality that there was still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the activity, we understood it wasn't over by any means. We felt in one's bones that this is actually the person that is going to ravage the ready our team if we don't avoid that. As well as clearly only viewing that initial play was actually verification of that. Let's not boot him yet another round." Gilmore: "They received smart and also chose to kick it to John Gilmore. I possessed pair of profits in that activity. That's what takes place when Devin takes the position first for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder helped in this report.