.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally dealing with the Minnesota Vikings prior to shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a regular panelist on Around the Horn and also host of Utmost Week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She earlier operated at the San Jose Mercury Headlines as an interactives media sports journalist.By the time Devin Hester returned to his indigenous South Fla for the greatest video game of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was properly on his means to coming to be the most ideal gain specialist in NFL history.The former second-round selection, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually currently made first-team All-Pro recognition as well as Pro Dish tributes by the opportunity the Bears evolved to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a job- and league-high 47 punts along with three leading to goals in 2006. He also came back 2 firsts for touchdowns as well as scored after coming back an overlooked basket 108 lawns versus the New york city Giants.The Colts possessed plenty of film to study as they planned for Chicago's many harmful weapon. They had actually seen Hester run a punt back 83 backyards for the consent touchdown to top off a 20-point return get the Cardinals. They experienced him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the very same video game to mark kickoff gain goals of 94 as well as 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the piece toss inside a rainy Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens and also selected to obtain, the Colts delivered the position first right into Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 secs to dash from where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' goal, 92 backyards away, all while viewing themself on the videoboard as he documented the only TD gain of a position kickoff in Super Bowl history.The setback coming from an eventual 29-17 loss to the Colts performed little to fade the play that accentuates Hester's Venue of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will be preserved in Canton this weekend as the first player elected to the Pro Regulation Football Hall of Popularity initially as a zing returner a player that stimulated some of the absolute most well-known instants in NFL history.Devin Hester truly started the Super Bowl with a home telephone call One of the greatest zing returners ever before turns 40 today.( through @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 come up with a strategic plan for Hester that revolved around him not touching the ball. While the Bears' unique teams units were the best eruptive in the organization, the Colts rated 30th in first coverage and also 32nd in punt protection. Right here is just how that planning essentially yielded to among the best interesting plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective side: "They weren't a risky aggressive group. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. However coverage, profits, they possessed the most ideal exclusive teams system in the NFL. Pub none. And the most ideal returner, possibly in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head trainer: "Our team were booting to the edges, our company're jumping the ball, we are actually squibbing it, our team're punting high, or our experts are actually punting away from bounds. We claimed, 'He's certainly not going to be an aspect. Our company presume our experts can easily handle their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Most of his profits for goals were punts, certainly not always kickoffs [Hester returned three punts and also two firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood without a doubt the game plan was do not punt the round to him. Try to punt it 40 lawns, 45 gardens, out of bounds. Sacrifice some span however carry out not permit him acquire the round in his palms." Our team thought about it the other method and also really did not desire to compromise a ton of yardage on first things, so considering that our company have actually acquired a couple of our starters therein, allow's attempt to affix him in a corner and also view if our experts can overload that edge and attempt to decrease his profit. Our company performed that all week long. It had not been even like our experts were paniced to boot a touchback. Our experts were actually even more anxious concerning striking it over in the section, as well as if he catches it at the 2- or even 3-yard line yet it's really close to the subsidiary, after that our company could possibly try to carton him in a small amount." Reid: "The strategy was our team are actually certainly not mosting likely to kick to him. He's too hazardous." Times before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "Some of our pastors provided a chapel service before the game and also discussed David and Giant as well as stated, 'The cause David prospered is he had not been worried. All the various other Israelites hesitated of Goliath.' So I began presuming, am I placing anxiety right into our individuals' hearts? Am I playing this wrong? Our experts can not be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as stunned as anybody that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the rainfall became, Hester took the settle back and also brought in past. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I changed my thoughts and said if our team drop the shake, our experts are actually heading to start. Our experts're visiting kick it to him, and also I wish you to drop and extra pound him. And when we take their champ down, that's visiting send an information just like David." I spoke about it along with Russ Purnell, our exclusive staffs train, and naturally he claimed our experts can deal with, we can possibly do this. We'll obtain him in the Super Dish. Everyone desires to have their minute. No person intends to head out there and also simply point out, 'Hey, our company weren't part of this, or even our team really did not support.' So it was actually reciprocal, yet by the end of the time, it was my decision." Reid: "Two or 3 times prior to the game I moved the people to encourage Coach Dungy. I claimed, 'Our team can easily handle him. Our team'll be alright.' You could possibly tell [Dungy] worried about performing it, however he resembles: 'OK, I trust you individuals.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique groups coordinator: "Every game that our company had, it was constantly a concern of that is actually heading to boot to him, that isn't going to boot to him. We understood that they had actually discussed not kicking to him, however our experts regularly thought as a workers that they were actually heading to boot to our company in the Super Bowl just because it's the Super Dish." That's what I informed them Saturday night. I stated, 'They are actually going to boot the round right to us.'" An unexpected hurricane relocated in to the Miami area on video game day as well as poured virtually one inch of storm over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the night. A crowd of 74,512 checked out Hester and also the Bears first gain group trot onto the area to receive the position zing following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a novice, his confidence when he took the area was unbelievable. Our team took a great deal of pride in obstructing for him. Unique staffs had not been a duty. It didn't think that you were being disciplined for certainly not being actually a starter. At any time you tromped the area with him in the profit activity, it felt like, 'Man, our experts may get it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is pre-smartphones. I bear in mind finding all these flashes click when the ball is actually being actually kicked off. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Ending to the activity coming from the locker area felt unique. I have actually never ever really felt just about anything like it. It was like the motion pictures. There were actually Classical candle lights being actually shot up and all the embers were coming down in slow motion. It absolutely possessed me pestered out. I reached the side project as well as it felt like, 'Whoa, what only happened?' And afterwards we gain the piece throw as well as our company're obtaining. Speak about an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears devices supervisor: "I said if it enters the end region, acquire that ball for him. That's what remained in my thoughts since it was actually never performed, had certainly never been performed prior to." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it never ever entered my mind that he would certainly run a ball back for a goal. It actually failed to. I have actually had two of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Environment-friendly Bay Packers broad receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and he functioned it back for a goal. So it occurred to me just before, but at no time was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually going to happen once again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Venue of FameThe Venue of Popularity Video Game in between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be aired on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 plays that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney places twist on legacy u2022 Mongo's battle, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't horrendous when our experts performed it. I presumed, we'll put him in the edge, our team'll confront him inside the 25 and our team'll feel respectable about ourselves. And also is actually never what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that showed up of my mouth [when he observed the round moved his method] were actually 'Holy s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and added industry to the twenty. The closest a Colts guardian will get to addressing him was protection Marlin Jackson, that was actually ins out of Hester, that increased out of his knowledge. The Bears' wedge featuring Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid generated a gap for Hester to blast past the first surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish logo design as well as began sprinting alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made it halfway of the industry, I just knew it. That's what he performed. He outran everybody every time he carried out that. The center of the field was gold for Devin. They failed to would like to boot it down the center to Devin, yet they apparently were actually thinking about it too much, and if you think you are actually trumped. If they boot it down the middle of the area, I recognized he was mosting likely to rating." I always kept speaking about him residing in his garden [on the program] I feel I claimed, 'From Riviera Seashore to the largest phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually absurd.'" Harris: "I don't forget reaching a man, it was actually probably around the little Super Dish company logo. I cracked this man as well as kind of saw [Devin] flashing by. And also when I turned around as well as I viewed he was actually out and all the Colts white colored shirts chasing him, I stated, 'All right, I have actually reached go meet him.' So I just took off on a lifeless sprint because I recognized he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "The moment he surpassed our 1st surge of fellas, at that point our team possess a safety on each side and also me in between. I understood I was too far away from him. If I could receive close enough to him to at least sluggish him down, maybe the pursuit might get to him. Yet he juked the piss out of me, too. That is actually things about Devin. When he possesses a small amount of area, with that vision, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 gardens for a goal with the position kickoff in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and also failed to touch him in all, I resembled 'damn.' It is actually comical since after one play, my jacket is dirtier than anybody's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was way too much available industry, so I knew ideal then and also there [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a situation where I was actually affixed to a side project and possessed the sideline antagonizing me. Our team resided in the available industry, so I understood he wasn't going to get me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and also Devin sought out. I was actually asking yourself why he was looking up eventually to discover that he was examining himself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him and only tripped him up and he detected the end region for the goal." The Bears' energy would continue on the next travel as they opened up a 14-6 top, however the Colts took control in the second area for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts began the activity along with a touchdown and we believed it was mosting likely to be an ass-whipping. Actually failed to wind up in this way, despite the fact that our experts came out as well as our team acquired a pick right afterwards, extremely. Our team believed our team had all type of momentum at that point and after that definitely it wound up moving on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I assume the a single thing regarding that was it was actually the first play of the activity. That in fact worked in our benefit considering that if it was actually anything behind that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would certainly be like, 'Oh my God!' It will be actually a hard factor to recoup from." However our company had four fourths to recover as well as put that responsible for our company. So, for our team it was actually sort of like, 'Okay, our experts attempted. Shame on our company and after that our team can keep it relocating right now.' Because eventually, we understood offensively our team were actually going to count much more than 7 aspects, and I understood defensively our company were visiting maintain them from counting." Vinatieri: "Their entire crew is fired up as well as excited. Now when they start to our team, their defense is actually going to be happening a million miles a hr due to the fact that the energy is currently on their edge ... however the reality that there was actually still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the game, we understood it had not been over by any means. Our company just knew that this is actually the man that will certainly damage the ready us if we don't prevent that. And also certainly merely enjoying that 1st play was proof of that. Permit's not kick him one more round." Gilmore: "They received clever and made a decision to kick it to John Gilmore. I possessed two profits in that game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder brought about this file.