.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings prior to switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a regular panelist on Around the Horn and host of Best 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 Information as a mixeds media sporting activities journalist.By the time Devin Hester came back to his native South Fla for the largest activity of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was effectively on his way to coming to be the most effective profit professional in NFL history.The past second-round choice, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually presently earned first-team All-Pro recognition and also Pro Bowl respects due to the time the Bears progressed to play 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 additionally came back pair of kickoffs for goals and racked up after coming back a skipped basket 108 lawns versus the New york city Giants.The Colts had loads of movie to analyze as they organized Chicago's a lot of unsafe tool. They had found Hester run a punt back 83 lawns for the okay goal to top off a 20-point comeback draw the Cardinals. They saw him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the same game to notch first profit touchdowns of 94 as well as 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the piece throw inside a wet Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens and chosen to obtain, the Colts sent the opening kickoff right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 secs to run from where he handled Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' end line, 92 yards away, all while enjoying himself on the videoboard as he taped the only TD gain of an opening kickoff in Super Dish history.The letdown from a resulting 29-17 loss to the Colts carried out little to vanish the play that complements Hester's Hall of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will certainly be preserved in Canton this weekend as the first gamer chosen to the Pro Regulation Football Hall of Fame first and foremost as a zing returner a gamer who triggered among one of the most well-known instants in NFL history.Devin Hester actually started the Super Dish with a home call One of the best zing returners ever turns 40 today.( by means of @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For pair of full weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had assembled a strategic plan for Hester that revolved around him not touching the round. While the Bears' exclusive groups systems were actually the best eruptive in the organization, the Colts rated 30th in kickoff protection as well as 32nd in punt coverage. Below is actually how that strategy essentially yielded to among the best impressive plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a risky aggressive staff. They had [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. However protection, come back, they had the very best exclusive teams device in the NFL. Pub none. And also the most ideal returner, perhaps in NFL record." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "Our team were actually kicking to the edges, our team're jumping the ball, we are actually squibbing it, our team're punting higher, or even our experts are actually punting out of bounds. Our experts pointed out, 'He is actually certainly not mosting likely to be actually a variable. Our experts believe our experts can control their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his profits for touchdowns were punts, certainly not always kickoffs [Hester came back 3 puntings as well as two kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood without a doubt the strategy was actually do not punt the round to him. Attempt to punt it 40 lawns, forty five gardens, out of bounds. Give up some span yet carry out not permit him get the ball in his palms." Our company thought of it the other technique and didn't would like to sacrifice a ton of yardage on first things, thus because our company have actually got a number of our starters in there, permit's try to pin him behind-the-scenes and also view if our experts can overload that edge and try to lessen his gain. We practiced that all week long. It had not been even like our experts were fretted to boot a touchback. We were additional interested about hitting it over in the section, and also if he captures it at the 2- or 3-yard line however it is actually truly near to the subsidiary, at that point our team could make an effort to carton him in a little." Reid: "The strategy was our experts're not heading to boot to him. He is actually as well risky." Times prior to the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy modified his mind.Dungy: "Some of our pastors offered a church service before the game and discussed David and Giant and claimed, 'The factor David prospered is he wasn't afraid. All the various other Israelites hesitated of Giant.' So I started thinking, am I placing fear right into our guys' souls? Am I playing this wrong? Our company can't hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as pleasantly surprised as anybody that the Colts were kicking to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the storm fell, Hester took the sit back and made background. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I changed my mind and also claimed if we shed the throw, our company are actually going to kick off. Our experts're heading to boot it to him, and I prefer you to go down as well as pound him. And also when our company take their champ down, that's going to send out an information just like David." I discussed it along with Russ Purnell, our exclusive groups instructor, and naturally he claimed our team can easily deal with, we can possibly do this. Our company'll receive him in the Super Dish. Everyone wants to have their second. No person desires to walk out there and also just point out, 'Hey, our company weren't part of this, or even our experts failed to contribute.' So it was mutual, but at the end of the time, it was my choice." Reid: "2 or even three days before the activity I moved the men to entice Train Dungy. I claimed, 'Our team may handle him. Our company'll be fine.' You can tell [Dungy] felt uneasy regarding doing it, however he resembles: 'OK, I trust you guys.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique staffs organizer: "Every video game that our team had, it was constantly a question of who is actually mosting likely to kick to him, who isn't mosting likely to boot to him. We knew that they had actually spoken about not kicking to him, yet our team always supposed as a workers that they were visiting kick to our company in the Super Dish even if it's the Super Bowl." That's what I told all of them Saturday night. I stated, 'They're visiting boot the ball right to us.'" An unexpected tornado moved in to the Miami place on game time and unloaded virtually one inch of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 viewed Hester and the Bears first yield team trot onto the field to get the position kick following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a novice, his assurance when he took the field was unreal. Our experts took a great deal of honor in shutting out for him. Special teams had not been a job. It didn't think that you were being penalized for not being a starter. At any time you tromped the industry along with him in the profit activity, it resembled, 'Male, our company can easily get it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is pre-smartphones. I keep in mind observing all these flashes hit when the round is being actually kicked off. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Ending to the activity coming from the storage locker space felt unique. I have actually certainly never really felt anything like it. It felt like the flicks. There were actually Roman candle lights being skyrocketed and all the coal were actually coming down in slow mo. It entirely had me badgered out. I got to the sideline and also it felt like, 'Whoa, what simply happened?' And afterwards we gain the piece throw and our company're acquiring. Discuss an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I pointed out if it goes in completion area, get that reception for him. That's what resided in my mind considering that it was never ever carried out, had actually certainly never been actually carried out before." Vinatieri: "Frankly it certainly never entered my thoughts that he will rush a sphere back for a touchdown. It really failed to. I have actually possessed 2 of all of them in Super Bowls. I kicked one to [Veggie Bay Packers wide receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and he operated it back for a touchdown. So it happened to me prior to, however at no time was I assuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually mosting likely to happen again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Hall of FameThe Hall of Popularity Video Game between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be televised on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two participates in that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney places twist on legacy u2022 Mongo's match, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't fearful when our experts performed it. I believed, we'll put him in the edge, our experts'll tackle him inside the 25 as well as our team'll really feel fair concerning our own selves. Which's never what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that appeared of my oral cavity [when he found the ball headed his method] were actually 'Holy s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line as well as added field to the 20. The closest a Colts defender would certainly get to handling him was actually security Marlin Jackson, who was actually ins out of Hester, that increased off of his understanding. The Bears' wedge featuring Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid created a void for Hester to blow past the 1st wave of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Dish company logo as well as began sprinting alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the industry, I just knew it. That's what he performed. He outran everyone every time he did that. The middle of the area was gold for Devin. They failed to wish to kick it down the middle to Devin, but they seemingly were actually thinking of it too much, as well as if you assume you're trumped. If they boot it down the middle of the industry, I knew he was actually visiting credit rating." I kept speaking about him residing in his garden [on the program] I believe I stated, 'Coming from Riviera Beach front to the greatest stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are ridiculous.'" Harris: "I keep in mind hitting a person, it was actually probably around the little bit of Super Dish logo design. I chipped this individual and sort of saw [Devin] showing off through. And when I turned around and also I viewed he was actually out and all the Colts white shirts chasing him, I said, 'All right, I have actually reached go fulfill him.' So I merely removed on a dead sprint considering that I understood he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "When he got past our first surge of men, at that point our company have a security on each edge and me in the middle. I understood I was as well away from him. If I can receive close good enough to him to at least slow-moving him down, possibly the pursuit could possibly reach him. However he outwited the piss away from me, as well. That is actually the thing about Devin. When he possesses a little bit of area, with that said sight, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 yards for a goal with the position first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped as well as failed to touch him in all, I felt like 'damn.' It is actually comical due to the fact that after one play, my shirt is dirtier than anybody's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually way too much available industry, so I understood appropriate at that point and also there certainly [after Vinatieri's attempt] It had not been a circumstance where I was actually pinned to a subsidiary and also had the sideline working against me. Our experts were in the open area, so I recognized he had not been going to obtain me." Joniak: "I keep in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and Devin searched for. I was actually pondering why he was seeking out later to learn that he was actually examining himself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him and also simply tripped him up and he detected the end zone for the touchdown." The Bears' momentum would certainly continue the following ride as they opened a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took management in the 2nd part for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts started the game with a touchdown and our experts believed it was actually heading to be actually an ass-whipping. Definitely didn't wind up by doing this, despite the fact that our team came out and also we got a pick right afterwards, too. Our team thought we possessed all kinds of drive then and afterwards clearly it found yourself moving on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I assume the the main thing regarding that was it was actually the first play of the game. That actually operated in our advantage considering that if it was actually anything beyond that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would certainly resemble, 'Oh my God!' It would certainly be actually a tough trait to recoup coming from." But our team possessed 4 quarters to recover and also place that behind us. So, for our team it was kind of like, 'Okay, our company made an effort. Embarassment on our team and then our company may maintain it moving right now.' Given that in the end, we knew offensively we were going to count much more than 7 points, and I understood defensively we were actually going to maintain all of them coming from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their entire team is fired up and also excited. Right now when they begin to us, their defense is going to be coming a thousand kilometers a hr due to the fact that the momentum is presently on their side ... but the simple fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 minutes left in the video game, we understood it wasn't over by any means. Our company felt in one's bones that this is the individual that will definitely trash the ready our company if our company don't avoid that. And undoubtedly simply checking out that initial play was actually proof of that. Permit's not boot him an additional ball." Gilmore: "They got clever as well as made a decision to kick it to John Gilmore. I had pair of returns because video game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder helped in this document.