.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, initially covering the Minnesota Vikings prior to switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and host of Utmost Full week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She previously operated at the San Jose Mercury Updates as a multimedia sporting activities journalist.By the moment Devin Hester came back to his native South Fla for the largest activity of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was actually effectively on his way to ending up being the most ideal gain expert in NFL history.The previous second-round selection, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had already gained first-team All-Pro awareness and Pro Dish respects by the opportunity the Bears accelerated to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a job- and also league-high 47 punts along with three resulting in touchdowns in 2006. He likewise came back pair of kickoffs for goals and also scored after returning a skipped basket 108 gardens versus the New york city Giants.The Colts had loads of film to study as they prepared for Chicago's most risky weapon. They had found Hester operate a punting back 83 backyards for the okay touchdown to cover off a 20-point return win over the Cardinals. They witnessed him rip past the St. Louis Rams two times in the exact same activity to scratch kickoff profit touchdowns of 94 and also 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece shake inside a stormy Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens and selected to obtain, the Colts sent out the position first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 few seconds to sprint where he dealt with Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' end zone, 92 yards away, all while seeing himself on the videoboard as he videotaped the only TD gain of an opening first in Super Dish history.The letdown from an ultimate 29-17 loss to the Colts carried out little bit of to vanish the play that accentuates Hester's Hall of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect will definitely be enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the first player selected to the Pro Soccer Venue of Popularity initially as a zing returner a player who stimulated among the absolute most iconic moments in NFL history.Devin Hester really started the Super Bowl along with a house phone call One of the best zing returners ever before transforms 40 today.( via @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For 2 weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually produced a strategic plan for Hester that hinged on him not touching the sphere. While the Bears' unique crews units were the absolute most eruptive in the game, the Colts ranked 30th in kickoff insurance coverage and also 32nd in punt coverage. Right here is actually how that plan inevitably accepted among the most impressive plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a risky aggressive group. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet protection, come back, they possessed the best special groups device in the NFL. Bar none. And also the most ideal returner, probably in NFL background." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "Our company were actually kicking to the edges, our team are actually hopping the ball, our company're squibbing it, our experts are actually punting higher, or our team're punting out of bounds. Our team mentioned, 'He's certainly not going to be actually a factor. Our company assume we may control their offense.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his returns for touchdowns were actually puntings, certainly not essentially kickoffs [Hester returned 3 punts and also 2 firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood for certain the strategic plan was do not punt the ball to him. Attempt to punt it 40 yards, 45 lawns, away from bounds. Sacrifice some range yet do not allow him acquire the sphere in his palms." Our team thought of it the other way and also didn't wish to sacrifice a lot of yardage on kickoff stuff, so due to the fact that our team've got a number of our starters therein, let's attempt to affix him in a corner as well as see if we can overload that edge as well as make an effort to decrease his profit. Our company exercised that all full week long. It wasn't also like our team were fretted to boot a touchback. We were even more concerned concerning reaching it over in the section, and if he captures it at the 2- or 3-yard line however it's really close to the side project, after that our company might make an effort to package him in a bit." Reid: "The strategy was we're certainly not going to kick to him. He's too risky." Times before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy modified his mind.Dungy: "Among our pastors gave a chapel service just before the game as well as talked about David as well as Giant as well as said, 'The factor David prospered is he had not been scared. All the other Israelites hesitated of Giant.' So I began thinking, am I placing worry right into our people' centers? Am I playing this inappropriate? We can't be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as shocked as any person that the Colts were kicking to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the kick back as well as made record. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I changed my thoughts as well as said if our company shed the toss, our team're going to kick off. Our team're mosting likely to kick it to him, and I want you to go down and also extra pound him. As well as when our experts take their champ down, that is actually visiting send out an information much like David." I spoke about it along with Russ Purnell, our exclusive teams coach, and also obviously he claimed our team can deal with, our experts can do this. We'll acquire him in the Super Bowl. Everybody wishes to possess their second. No one would like to go out there as well as simply state, 'Hey, our experts weren't portion of this, or we really did not assist.' So it was actually shared, but at the end of the day, it was my decision." Reid: "Two or even three days prior to the activity I moved the fellas to persuade Coach Dungy. I said, 'Our company may handle him. We'll be great.' You could tell [Dungy] worried regarding doing it, however he resembles: 'OK, I trust you individuals.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive staffs organizer: "Every game that our experts had, it was actually regularly an inquiry of that is actually mosting likely to kick to him, who isn't going to kick to him. We knew that they had actually talked about not kicking to him, yet we constantly presumed as a personnel that they were actually visiting kick to our team in the Super Bowl even if it is actually the Super Bowl." That's what I informed all of them Saturday night. I claimed, 'They are actually going to boot the round right to our team.'" An unforeseen tornado moved right into the Miami area on activity day as well as dumped virtually one inch of storm over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the night. A group of 74,512 checked out Hester as well as the Bears first gain team trot onto the industry to get the opening kick after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a rookie, his self-confidence when he took the field was unbelievable. We took a considerable amount of satisfaction in blocking out for him. Exclusive crews had not been a task. It really did not feel like you were actually being actually reprimanded for certainly not being actually a starter. Whenever you tromped the area with him in the yield activity, it was like, 'Man, our team can easily get it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I bear in mind viewing all these flashes click when the ball is being began. That was actually unbelievable." Gilmore: "Going out to the activity from the storage locker space experienced unique. I have actually never ever felt everything like it. It felt like the flicks. There were actually Roman candles being actually skyrocketed and all the ashes were actually boiling down in slow mo. It absolutely had me badgered out. I reached the subsidiary and it felt like, 'Whoa, what simply taken place?' And after that our company succeed the coin throw and our team're obtaining. Refer to an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment supervisor: "I mentioned if it enters the end zone, receive that ball for him. That's what was in my thoughts considering that it was never ever performed, had never been actually carried out just before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it never entered my thoughts that he would certainly run a sphere back for a goal. It definitely failed to. I've had two of all of them in Super Dishes. I booted one to [Eco-friendly Gulf Packers wide receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and he ran it back for a goal. So it happened to me before, however at no opportunity was I thinking, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually visiting take place once more.' 2024 Pro Soccer Hall of FameThe Venue of Fame Video Game between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will certainly be telecasted on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of participates in that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney places spin on heritage u2022 Mongo's match, quest to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't horrendous when our team performed it. I presumed, we'll place him in the corner, we'll attack him inside the 25 and our experts'll experience good concerning our own selves. Which is actually not what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that appeared of my mouth [when he observed the round moved his method] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line as well as ran up industry to the twenty. The closest a Colts defender will come to addressing him was safety Marlin Jackson, that was actually ins off of Hester, who increased off of his knowledge. The Bears' block containing Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid generated a void for Hester to blow past the initial surge of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Dish logo design as well as started running parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made the cut to the middle of the industry, I just knew it. That's what he did. He eluded everybody every time he performed that. The center of the area was gold for Devin. They really did not intend to boot it down the middle to Devin, yet they relatively were actually dealing with it excessive, and also if you assume you are actually trumped. If they kick it down the center of the area, I knew he was going to rating." I always kept talking about him remaining in his lawn [on the broadcast] I feel I pointed out, 'From Riviera Coastline to the biggest phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are ridiculous.'" Harris: "I always remember hitting a person, it was most likely around the little bit of Super Dish logo design. I nicked this guy and also type of saw [Devin] flashing by. And when I reversed and also I observed he was out and all the Colts white colored shirts chasing him, I claimed, 'Okay, I have actually come to go satisfy him.' So I merely took off on a lifeless sprint given that I recognized he was racking up." Vinatieri: "Once he got past our initial surge of men, then our team have a safety on each side and also me in the center. I understood I was as well away from him. If I could possibly receive close sufficient to him to at least sluggish him down, maybe the quest could possibly reach him. Yet he juked the piss away from me, also. That is actually things concerning Devin. When he has a small amount of space, keeping that sight, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 gardens for a touchdown along with the position first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and also failed to touch him whatsoever, I resembled 'damn.' It is actually comical due to the fact that after one play, my jersey is dirtier than any person's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually way too much available industry, so I knew right then and also certainly there [after Vinatieri's attempt] It wasn't a condition where I was actually pinned to a side project and also possessed the side project antagonizing me. Our company remained in the open area, so I recognized he wasn't going to get me." Joniak: "I always remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down as well as Devin looked up. I was actually questioning why he was looking up eventually to know that he was actually considering themself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him as well as merely stumbled him up as well as he tumbled into completion area for the touchdown." The Bears' energy would certainly advance the next drive as they opened up a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took management in the 2nd sector for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts began the activity with a goal and our company believed it was actually going to be actually an ass-whipping. Definitely really did not wind up that way, even though our team emerged and also our experts obtained a choice right after that, too. Our experts thought our team possessed all kinds of energy at that point and afterwards clearly it found yourself switching on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive end: "I believe the one thing about that was it was actually the initial play of the activity. That really operated in our perk since if it was actually anything beyond that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it will feel like, 'Oh my God!' It would certainly be a hard factor to recuperate coming from." Yet our company had 4 one-fourths to recoup as well as put that behind our company. Therefore, for our team it was kind of like, 'Okay, we attempted. Shame on us and afterwards our company may keep it moving currently.' Considering that ultimately, we understood offensively our team were actually going to rack up greater than seven factors, as well as I understood defensively our company were heading to maintain them coming from recording." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire group is ignited and delighted. Currently when they begin to us, their defense is actually heading to be coming a thousand kilometers a hr due to the fact that the energy is currently on their side ... yet the simple fact that there was still 59 1/2 moments left behind in the game, we understood it had not been over by any means. We felt in one's bones that this is the fella that is going to damage the ready us if we don't prevent that. And definitely just enjoying that 1st play was verification of that. Permit's certainly not boot him yet another ball." Gilmore: "They got wise as well as decided to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed two returns because activity. That's what takes place when Devin takes the opening first for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Owner brought about this record.