.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings just before shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and range of Best Week Ever on ESPN Radio. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She previously operated at the San Jose Mercury News as a multimedia sporting activities journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester came back to his indigenous South Florida for the biggest video game of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was actually effectively on his technique to ending up being the most effective yield expert in NFL history.The past second-round selection, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually actually earned first-team All-Pro recognition and Pro Dish tributes by the opportunity the Bears advanced to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a profession- as well as league-high 47 puntings with three causing touchdowns in 2006. He additionally came back pair of kickoffs for goals and also scored after returning a missed out on basket 108 backyards versus the New York Giants.The Colts possessed loads of movie to study as they organized Chicago's many dangerous item. They had viewed Hester run a punt back 83 lawns for the permission touchdown to top off a 20-point revival draw the Cardinals. They saw him rip past the St. Louis Rams two times in the same activity to mark first yield goals of 94 and 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the coin toss inside a wet Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens and also chosen to receive, the Colts sent the opening kickoff right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 few seconds to sprint from where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' end zone, 92 backyards away, all while watching himself on the videoboard as he tape-recorded the only TD gain of a position kickoff in Super Dish history.The setback from a possible 29-17 loss to the Colts performed little bit of to vanish the play that accentuates Hester's Venue of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will certainly be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the first gamer selected to the Pro Regulation Football Hall of Fame primarily as a kick returner a gamer who sparked some of the absolute most famous seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester definitely began the Super Bowl with a property phone call Among the best kick returners ever before transforms 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For two weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had assembled a game plan for Hester that revolved around him not touching the ball. While the Bears' special crews systems were the absolute most explosive in the organization, the Colts ranked 30th in kickoff coverage and 32nd in punt protection. Right here is how that plan essentially accepted among one of the most stimulating plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't a hazardous aggressive group. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. But coverage, return, they had the greatest unique teams device in the NFL. Club none. And also the most ideal returner, probably in NFL background." Tony Dungy, Colts head trainer: "Our experts were actually booting to the corners, our experts are actually bouncing the sphere, our experts are actually squibbing it, we are actually punting high, or even our experts are actually punting away from bounds. We mentioned, 'He is actually certainly not mosting likely to be actually a variable. Our company believe our team may manage their offense.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his returns for goals were puntings, certainly not always kickoffs [Hester returned 3 punts and also two kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood without a doubt the game plan was don't punt the round to him. Attempt to punt it 40 gardens, 45 yards, out of bounds. Sacrifice some span however perform not permit him obtain the ball in his palms." We thought of it the various other means as well as failed to wish to sacrifice a ton of yardage on kickoff stuff, therefore considering that we've acquired a number of our starters therein, allow's attempt to pin him in a corner and also find if our company can easily overload that side as well as make an effort to decrease his profit. Our team practiced that all full week long. It had not been even like we were fretted to kick a touchback. We were additional interested regarding striking it over in the edge, and if he records it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe but it's really near the sideline, after that our team might make an effort to carton him in a bit." Reid: "The tactical plan was our company're certainly not going to kick to him. He's too dangerous." Times prior to the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy changed his mind.Dungy: "Among our chaplains gave a chapel service prior to the activity as well as talked about David and also Goliath and also mentioned, 'The factor David succeeded is he wasn't worried. All the various other Israelites were afraid of Giant.' So I started presuming, am I placing fear right into our guys' hearts? Am I playing this inappropriate? We can not fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as surprised as any person that the Colts were stopping to him to open Super Bowl XLI. As the storm fell, Hester took the take it easy and also brought in past history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I modified my mind as well as mentioned if our experts lose the throw, we are actually mosting likely to begin. Our team are actually mosting likely to boot it to him, and I wish you to go down and extra pound him. As well as when our team take their champ down, that's going to send a notification much like David." I referred to it with Russ Purnell, our exclusive groups coach, and naturally he stated our company can cover, our company can do this. Our company'll get him in the Super Dish. Everyone wants to have their instant. No person desires to head out certainly there as well as only state, 'Hey, we weren't component of this, or even we failed to assist.' So it was reciprocal, however at the end of the time, it was my choice." Reid: "Pair of or even 3 times prior to the game I moved the men to convince Coach Dungy. I said, 'We may manage him. Our team'll be actually great.' You could possibly say to [Dungy] regreted concerning performing it, but he feels like: 'OK, I trust you individuals.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive groups planner: "Every activity that our company had, it was actually always a concern of who is actually heading to kick to him, that isn't heading to kick to him. We knew that they had actually referred to certainly not booting to him, but our company constantly assumed as a workers that they were going to boot to us in the Super Dish just because it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I told all of them Sunday night. I pointed out, 'They're heading to boot the ball right to our company.'" An unforeseen tornado moved in to the Miami region on activity day as well as dumped almost one in of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 seen Hester and also the Bears first return team trot onto the field to receive the position kick just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a rookie, his assurance when he took the area was unbelievable. Our team took a considerable amount of honor in shutting out for him. Special staffs wasn't a job. It really did not seem like you were being actually disciplined for certainly not being actually a starter. Any time you stepped on the industry with him in the gain game, it resembled, 'Guy, our experts can get it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is pre-smartphones. I bear in mind viewing all these flashes click on when the round is actually being kicked off. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Ending to the activity from the storage locker space really felt unique. I have actually never ever really felt anything like it. It felt like the motion pictures. There were actually Roman candle lights being skyrocketed plus all the coal were coming down in slow mo. It completely had me badgered out. I came to the subsidiary and also it was like, 'Whoa, what just happened?' And after that our company succeed the coin toss as well as our experts're obtaining. Refer to an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment manager: "I stated if it enters the end zone, get that reception for him. That's what was in my thoughts given that it was actually certainly never carried out, had certainly never been actually done just before." Vinatieri: "Frankly it never entered my thoughts that he would certainly rush a ball back for a goal. It definitely didn't. I have actually possessed 2 of them in Super Bowls. I booted one to [Eco-friendly Gulf Packers large receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he ran it back for a goal. So it took place to me just before, but at no time was I thinking, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually going to occur once again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Venue of FameThe Hall of Prominence Game in between the Bears as well as Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be televised on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of plays that determine Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney places spin on legacy u2022 Mongo's fight, journey to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't horrendous when our experts performed it. I thought, our company'll put him in the corner, our company'll confront him inside the 25 as well as our team'll experience fair concerning ourselves. And that's absolutely not what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that emerged of my oral cavity [when he found the sphere headed his means] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line as well as ran up field to the 20. The closest a Colts protector would certainly reach addressing him was actually safety Marlin Jackson, that was actually ins away from Hester, who accelerated away from his comprehension. The Bears' block being composed of Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid developed a space for Hester to blast past the 1st wave of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Dish logo design and also began running parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the field, I just knew it. That's what he carried out. He eluded everybody each time he did that. The center of the field was gold for Devin. They really did not wish to kick it down the middle to Devin, yet they relatively were actually considering it a lot of, and if you believe you're trumped. If they boot it down the middle of the industry, I understood he was actually going to rating." I kept talking about him residing in his yard [on the program] I think I said, 'From Riviera Seashore to the biggest stage in sports, Devin Hester, you are ludicrous.'" Harris: "I don't forget striking a guy, it was probably around the little bit of Super Bowl company logo. I damaged this person as well as sort of saw [Devin] showing off through. As well as when I reversed as well as I found he was actually out and all the Colts white jerseys chasing him, I stated, 'All right, I've come to go meet him.' So I just took off on a dead sprint considering that I knew he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "The moment he surpassed our very first surge of people, then we possess a safety on each edge as well as me in the center. I understood I was as well far away from him. If I could obtain close sufficient to him to at least slow him down, possibly the quest could possibly come to him. But he outwited the piss out of me, also. That is actually the important things concerning Devin. When he possesses a bit of space, with that said dream, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 yards for a goal along with the opening first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove as well as really did not touch him in all, I felt like 'damn.' It's amusing given that after one play, my jacket is dirtier than anyone's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually excessive available field, so I understood right then and there [after Vinatieri's try] It had not been a scenario where I was pinned to a subsidiary and also had the sideline working against me. Our team remained in the available area, so I understood he had not been going to get me." Joniak: "I don't forget [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down as well as Devin sought out. I was actually pondering why he was actually seeking out later on to find out that he was checking out himself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him as well as simply tripped him up and he detected completion area for the touchdown." The Bears' energy would advance the next travel as they opened up a 14-6 lead, however the Colts took command in the second quarter for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company started the activity with a touchdown and also our experts assumed it was visiting be actually an ass-whipping. Actually really did not wind up by doing this, although our company emerged and also our team received a pick right after that, too. We presumed we possessed all type of momentum then and afterwards clearly it ended up shifting on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I assume the something concerning that was it was actually the first play of the video game. That in fact worked in our perk due to the fact that if it was actually anything beyond that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would certainly feel like, 'Oh my God!' It will be actually a tough thing to recuperate coming from." Yet our experts possessed four fourths to bounce back and put that responsible for our company. Therefore, for our team it was sort of like, 'Okay, our team tried. Embarassment on our company and after that our team may keep it relocating right now.' Because eventually, we knew offensively our company were actually heading to score greater than 7 aspects, and I understood defensively we were visiting maintain them from recording." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire crew is actually ignited and delighted. Now when they start to our company, their self defense is actually visiting be happening a million miles a hr due to the fact that the momentum is actually actually on their side ... however the simple fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 mins left behind in the activity, we knew it wasn't over by any means. We felt in one's bones that this is the individual that is going to ravage the ready us if our experts do not protect against that. And also undoubtedly only checking out that initial play was actually evidence of that. Permit's not kick him an additional round." Gilmore: "They got wise and made a decision to boot it to John Gilmore. I had pair of gains because video game. That's what happens when Devin takes the position first for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Owner contributed to this report.