.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings before shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a regular panelist on Around the Horn and also range of Utmost Week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She formerly operated at the San Jose Mercury Information as a mixeds media sports journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester returned to his indigenous South Florida for the greatest game of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was actually well on his way to ending up being the most ideal return professional in NFL history.The past second-round selection, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had already earned first-team All-Pro recognition and also Pro Bowl honors due to the time the Bears advanced to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a career- as well as league-high 47 puntings with three resulting in touchdowns in 2006. He likewise came back 2 firsts for goals and racked up after coming back an overlooked field goal 108 backyards versus the New york city Giants.The Colts possessed lots of movie to research as they got ready for Chicago's a lot of hazardous weapon. They had observed Hester run a punt back 83 gardens for the green light goal to cover off a 20-point comeback draw the Cardinals. They experienced him rip past the St. Louis Rams two times in the same activity to notch first gain goals of 94 as well as 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the coin toss inside a wet Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and also selected to receive, the Colts sent out the opening kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 few seconds to dash from where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' end line, 92 lawns away, all while enjoying themself on the videoboard as he taped the only TD yield of a position kickoff in Super Bowl history.The disappointment coming from a possible 29-17 reduction to the Colts carried out little bit of to vanish the play that highlights Hester's Venue of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will definitely be enshrined in Canton this weekend as the very first player selected to the Pro Soccer Hall of Prominence initially as a kick returner a gamer that stimulated one of the most well-known minutes in NFL history.Devin Hester truly started the Super Bowl with a residence phone call One of the best kick returners ever before switches 40 today.( via @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For two weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had actually crafted a strategic plan for Hester that revolved around him not touching the round. While the Bears' exclusive crews units were the best eruptive in the game, the Colts positioned 30th in kickoff protection and 32nd in punt coverage. Listed here is just how that planning eventually accepted some of the most amazing plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a harmful aggressive group. They had [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. However insurance coverage, return, they had the best exclusive teams unit in the NFL. Pub none. As well as the greatest returner, probably in NFL history." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "Our team were kicking to the sections, our experts're bouncing the ball, our experts're squibbing it, we are actually punting higher, or even our experts are actually punting out of bounds. We pointed out, 'He's not going to be an aspect. Our experts presume we may control their offense.'" Vinatieri: "Most of his returns for goals were punts, not automatically kickoffs [Hester came back 3 puntings as well as pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood for sure the game plan was do not punt the ball to him. Try to punt it 40 gardens, forty five gardens, out of bounds. Compromise some span yet perform not allow him receive the round in his palms." We thought of it the various other means and didn't desire to sacrifice a lots of yardage on kickoff stuff, therefore since we have actually obtained a couple of our beginners therein, allow's make an effort to pin him in a corner and find if our experts can overload that edge and also attempt to decrease his gain. We performed that all week long. It wasn't even like we were actually fretted to kick a touchback. Our company were even more worried regarding reaching it over in the edge, as well as if he records it at the 2- or even 3-yard pipe however it's definitely near to the sideline, then our team could attempt to box him in a small amount." Reid: "The strategy was our experts are actually certainly not heading to kick to him. He is actually also unsafe." Days before the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "Some of our pastors provided a chapel solution prior to the activity and also spoke about David and Goliath as well as mentioned, 'The main reason David achieved success is he had not been terrified. All the other Israelites hesitated of Giant.' So I began believing, am I putting concern right into our individuals' souls? Am I playing this incorrect? Our experts can not fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as surprised as any person that the Colts were kicking to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the rainfall became, Hester took the kick back and also brought in record. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I changed my thoughts as well as mentioned if we lose the shake, our experts're heading to kick off. We're mosting likely to kick it to him, as well as I want you to go down and also extra pound him. And when our team knock their champion down, that's visiting deliver an information much like David." I discussed it with Russ Purnell, our special staffs instructor, and obviously he said our experts can cover, our company can do this. Our experts'll receive him in the Super Dish. Everyone desires to possess their instant. No one would like to head out there certainly as well as simply claim, 'Hey, our team weren't part of this, or we failed to assist.' So it was actually shared, but in the end of the day, it was my choice." Reid: "Two or even 3 days just before the video game I moved the people to persuade Coach Dungy. I mentioned, 'Our team can easily handle him. Our experts'll be actually fine.' You can tell [Dungy] regreted concerning doing it, yet he feels like: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique teams planner: "Every game that our company had, it was actually constantly a question of who is actually going to kick to him, that isn't going to kick to him. We understood that they had actually referred to not kicking to him, however our team regularly supposed as a workers that they were mosting likely to boot to our team in the Super Dish just because it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I informed them Sunday night. I said, 'They are actually visiting boot the ball right to our company.'" An unanticipated tornado relocated in to the Miami place on game time and poured almost one in of storm over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the night. A group of 74,512 seen Hester and also the Bears kickoff return team trot onto the area to receive the position kick after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a novice, his confidence when he took the area was actually unreal. Our team took a great deal of satisfaction in blocking for him. Exclusive crews wasn't a duty. It really did not seem like you were being punished for certainly not being actually a starter. Whenever you tromped the field with him in the gain game, it resembled, 'Male, we can take it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is pre-smartphones. I bear in mind observing all these flashes click on when the sphere is being actually kicked off. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Ending to the video game coming from the locker room really felt unique. I have actually never really felt everything like it. It was like the films. There were actually Roman candle lights being actually soared and all the embers were actually coming down in funeral pace. It entirely possessed me annoyed out. I reached the subsidiary and it felt like, 'Whoa, what merely happened?' And after that we win the coin throw and also our company are actually acquiring. Talk about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I said if it uses completion zone, get that ball for him. That's what was in my thoughts since it was never carried out, had never been performed before." Vinatieri: "Honestly it never entered my thoughts that he will run a round back for a touchdown. It actually failed to. I have actually had two of all of them in Super Containers. I kicked one to [Environment-friendly Bay Packers broad receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he functioned it back for a touchdown. So it occurred to me before, but at no time was I assuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually heading to take place again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Venue of FameThe Hall of Prominence Video Game in between the Bears as well as Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be televised on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two plays that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney puts twist on heritage u2022 Mongo's fight, experience to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't horrendous when we performed it. I believed, we'll put him in the section, we'll tackle him inside the 25 and our experts'll feel fair concerning ourselves. And that's not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that came out of my mouth [when he viewed the sphere headed his means] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and also added field to the 20. The closest a Colts guardian will come to tackling him was protection Marlin Jackson, who was ins out of Hester, who increased far from his understanding. The Bears' wedge consisting of Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid created a gap for Hester to blast past the initial wave of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Dish company logo and began dashing parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the area, I just knew it. That's what he performed. He outran everybody every single time he did that. The middle of the industry was actually golden for Devin. They really did not want to kick it down the middle to Devin, but they seemingly were thinking of it excessive, and if you believe you're beat. If they kick it down the center of the industry, I recognized he was mosting likely to credit rating." I always kept talking about him remaining in his lawn [on the show] I think I mentioned, 'From Riviera Seaside to the greatest stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are preposterous.'" Harris: "I don't forget attacking an individual, it was actually probably around the little Super Bowl logo design. I damaged this guy and type of saw [Devin] flashing through. As well as when I reversed and also I found he was out plus all the Colts white shirts chasing him, I stated, 'Okay, I have actually got to go meet him.' So I merely removed on a dead sprint due to the fact that I knew he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "When he surpassed our 1st surge of fellas, after that we possess a safety on each side as well as me in between. I knew I was actually as well away coming from him. If I could obtain close sufficient to him to a minimum of sluggish him down, maybe the search can reach him. But he juked the piss out of me, also. That's the important things concerning Devin. When he possesses a little bit of area, keeping that sight, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 lawns for a touchdown with the opening kickoff in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and failed to touch him at all, I resembled 'damn.' It's hilarious given that after one play, my jersey is actually dirtier than anyone's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was too much open area, so I knew correct after that and also there certainly [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a scenario where I was actually affixed to a sideline and also possessed the sideline antagonizing me. Our experts were in the available field, so I understood he wasn't going to get me." Joniak: "I remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down as well as Devin sought out. I was asking yourself why he was looking up later on to learn that he was actually considering themself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him as well as just stumbled him up and also he detected completion region for the goal." The Bears' energy will continue the upcoming ride as they opened a 14-6 top, but the Colts took management in the second region for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts began the game with a goal and our team believed it was actually heading to be actually an ass-whipping. Definitely failed to end up this way, even though our company visited and our experts got a pick right after that, too. Our team assumed we possessed all type of momentum then and then definitely it wound up changing on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I believe the something concerning that was it was the first play of the video game. That really done work in our perk since if it was actually anything behind that, like in in the fourth quarter, it would certainly resemble, 'Oh my God!' It would be actually a difficult thing to bounce back from." However we possessed four fourths to recover and place that responsible for our company. Therefore, for our team it was kind of like, 'Okay, our experts attempted. Pity on our team and after that our team can keep it moving currently.' Since ultimately, we understood offensively we were heading to score more than seven factors, and also I knew defensively our company were actually mosting likely to maintain all of them from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire staff is actually fired up as well as excited. Right now when they start to us, their defense is actually mosting likely to be coming a thousand miles an hour because the energy is presently on their edge ... but the fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 mins left behind in the video game, we knew it had not been over by any means. We felt in one's bones that this is actually the guy that will definitely wreck the game for us if our experts don't protect against that. And also definitely just checking out that first play was actually verification of that. Allow's not kick him one more round." Gilmore: "They got smart and chose to kick it to John Gilmore. I possessed pair of returns during that activity. That's what occurs when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner supported this file.