.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, actually covering the Minnesota Vikings just before switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and also range of Utmost Week Ever Before on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She recently operated at the San Jose Mercury News as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the moment Devin Hester went back to his indigenous South Fla for the greatest game of his lifestyle in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was properly on his technique to ending up being the best gain professional in NFL history.The former second-round choice, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually actually gained first-team All-Pro acknowledgment and also Pro Dish tributes due to the opportunity the Bears evolved to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back an occupation- and also league-high 47 punts with 3 resulting in touchdowns in 2006. He also came back two kickoffs for touchdowns as well as scored after coming back an overlooked field goal 108 gardens versus the New york city Giants.The Colts had a lot of film to analyze as they organized Chicago's a lot of risky tool. They had actually seen Hester operate a punting back 83 yards for the permission goal to cover off a 20-point return gain the Cardinals. They watched him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the same video game to scratch kickoff yield touchdowns of 94 as well as 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the piece toss inside a wet Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens and selected to acquire, the Colts delivered the opening kickoff right in to Hester's grasp.It took him every one of 14 seconds to dash from where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal, 92 gardens away, all while viewing himself on the videoboard as he tape-recorded the only TD yield of an opening first in Super Dish history.The frustration from a possible 29-17 loss to the Colts carried out little bit of to vanish the play that accentuates Hester's Venue of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will be actually preserved in Canton this weekend as the 1st player selected to the Pro Regulation Football Venue of Popularity primarily as a kick returner a gamer that triggered among the most renowned seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester truly started the Super Bowl along with a house call One of the best kick returners ever before transforms 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 crafted a strategic plan for Hester that hinged on him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' special crews devices were the best eruptive in the organization, the Colts positioned 30th in first protection as well as 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Right here is exactly how that planning eventually accepted among the best interesting plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective side: "They weren't an unsafe aggressive group. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. But protection, come back, they possessed the best unique staffs unit in the NFL. Bar none. And the best returner, possibly in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "We were booting to the corners, our team're hopping the ball, our experts're squibbing it, we are actually punting higher, or our experts're punting away from bounds. Our experts claimed, 'He's not heading to be actually a variable. We think our team can handle their offense.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his returns for goals were actually punts, not automatically kickoffs [Hester came back three puntings and also pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood for certain the tactical plan was don't punt the ball to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 yards, 45 gardens, out of bounds. Compromise some span however perform certainly not permit him acquire the ball in his hands." Our company thought about it the various other method and also really did not want to sacrifice a lot of yardage on first things, thus since our company've received a couple of our beginners therein, permit's attempt to affix him in a corner and view if we can overload that side and attempt to minimize his profit. Our experts exercised that all full week long. It had not been also like our company were fretted to boot a touchback. Our experts were actually more anxious about hitting it over in the section, and also if he catches it at the 2- or 3-yard line however it is actually really near the side project, then our experts might make an effort to package him in a little." Reid: "The game plan was our team are actually not mosting likely to kick to him. He is actually also harmful." Days before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy modified his mind.Dungy: "Some of our pastors gave a church company before the game and also referred to David and also Giant and pointed out, 'The explanation David succeeded is he wasn't frightened. All the various other Israelites were afraid of Giant.' So I began assuming, am I placing concern in to our men' centers? Am I playing this wrong? Our company can not hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as pleasantly surprised as anyone that the Colts were actually stopping to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the rain fell, Hester took the take it easy and also brought in background. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I transformed my mind and mentioned if our team lose the throw, our company are actually heading to start. Our experts're heading to kick it to him, and also I prefer you to decrease and extra pound him. And also when we take their champion down, that's heading to send a message much like David." I spoke about it along with Russ Purnell, our unique teams train, and also certainly he mentioned we can cover, we can possibly do this. Our company'll receive him in the Super Dish. Everybody would like to have their second. Nobody desires to walk out certainly there and merely say, 'Hey, our team weren't aspect of this, or we failed to assist.' So it was common, yet at the end of the day, it was my selection." Reid: "Pair of or 3 days before the video game I moved the individuals to convince Coach Dungy. I claimed, 'Our company can manage him. Our team'll be actually great.' You might inform [Dungy] worried concerning doing it, however he feels like: 'OK, I trust you people.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive teams planner: "Every game that our company possessed, it was consistently a concern of who's mosting likely to kick to him, that isn't visiting kick to him. We understood that they had actually spoken about certainly not kicking to him, yet our company constantly presumed as a workers that they were going to kick to our company in the Super Bowl just because it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I told them Saturday night. I pointed out, 'They're heading to boot the sphere right to us.'" An unpredicted storm moved right into the Miami place on activity time and discarded virtually one inch of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 seen Hester and the Bears first yield team trot onto the industry to get the position kick just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a novice, his assurance when he took the industry was actually unbelievable. Our company took a great deal of pleasure in blocking for him. Exclusive staffs wasn't a task. It didn't think that you were actually being actually reprimanded for not being a starter. At any time you tromped the area along with him in the yield activity, it resembled, 'Male, our company can take it to your home.'" Chris Harris, Bears security: "This is pre-smartphones. I remember observing all these flashes click when the ball is actually being actually started. That was actually unbelievable." Gilmore: "Running out to the activity coming from the locker space felt unique. I've certainly never experienced everything like it. It was like the films. There were Roman candlesticks being actually shot up and all the cinders were actually boiling down in slow mo. It entirely possessed me annoyed out. I came to the sideline and it resembled, 'Whoa, what just happened?' And afterwards our company win the piece toss as well as our company're acquiring. Discuss an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears devices supervisor: "I mentioned if it enters the end area, obtain that reception for him. That's what remained in my thoughts because it was actually never ever carried out, had actually never been carried out prior to." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it certainly never entered my mind that he would run a ball back for a goal. It truly didn't. I have actually possessed two of them in Super Dishes. I kicked one to [Green Gulf Packers vast receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] as well as he operated it back for a goal. So it occurred to me prior to, however at no time was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it's heading to happen once more.' 2024 Pro Football Hall of FameThe Hall of Fame Activity in between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will certainly be televised on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of participates in that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney places spin on heritage u2022 Mongo's fight, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't fearful when our company did it. I believed, our experts'll put him in the edge, our company'll tackle him inside the 25 and our experts'll experience fair concerning ourselves. Which's absolutely not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that visited of my oral cavity [when he saw the sphere headed his technique] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester got Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line as well as raised area to the twenty. The closest a Colts guardian will come to tackling him was actually safety and security Marlin Jackson, that was actually ins far from Hester, that increased far from his knowledge. The Bears' wedge being composed of Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid made a space for Hester to blast past the first wave of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Bowl company logo and also started dashing parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the industry, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he did. He outran everybody whenever he did that. The center of the field was gold for Devin. They really did not intend to kick it down the middle to Devin, however they seemingly were considering it excessive, and also if you assume you're defeated. If they kick it down the middle of the field, I recognized he was actually visiting rating." I always kept speaking about him residing in his garden [on the program] I believe I mentioned, 'From Riviera Seashore to the most significant phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are preposterous.'" Harris: "I always remember attacking a man, it was probably around the little Super Dish company logo. I nicked this individual and also kind of saw [Devin] flashing through. And also when I turned around and I found he was out plus all the Colts white colored jackets chasing him, I stated, 'All right, I've got to go meet him.' So I only removed on a lifeless sprint given that I recognized he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "The moment he got past our 1st wave of men, then our team possess a safety and security on each edge as well as me in the middle. I understood I was actually also far from him. If I can get close enough to him to at the very least slow him down, maybe the search can come to him. But he outwited the piss out of me, also. That is actually the many things about Devin. When he possesses a little of space, with that dream, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 yards for a goal along with the opening kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and failed to touch him in all, I resembled 'damn.' It is actually amusing because after one play, my shirt is actually dirtier than any person's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was too much available area, so I knew ideal then as well as certainly there [after Vinatieri's attempt] It had not been a situation where I was actually pinned to a sideline and possessed the side project working against me. Our experts were in the open field, so I recognized he had not been going to receive me." Joniak: "I keep in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and Devin sought out. I was actually pondering why he was finding eventually to know that he was actually taking a look at himself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him and also merely tripped him up as well as he detected the end area for the goal." The Bears' energy would continue the upcoming drive as they opened up a 14-6 top, yet the Colts took command in the 2nd part for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company began the video game with a goal and our company believed it was actually going to be an ass-whipping. Really really did not end up in this way, although we showed up as well as our experts received a pick right after that, very. Our company assumed our experts had all kinds of momentum then and afterwards clearly it ended up shifting on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive end: "I believe the one thing concerning that was it was actually the initial play of the video game. That in fact done work in our benefit since if it was actually anything later than that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it will resemble, 'Oh my The lord!' It would certainly be a hard trait to recuperate from." But our team possessed 4 quarters to bounce back and also place that behind our team. So, for our company it was kind of like, 'All right, our team attempted. Embarassment on us and then our team can easily maintain it relocating currently.' Due to the fact that in the long run, we knew offensively we were heading to score greater than seven points, and also I understood defensively our company were going to keep all of them coming from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their entire staff is fired up and delighted. Currently when they start to our team, their self defense is actually going to be happening a million miles an hour since the energy is already on their edge ... but the reality that there was still 59 1/2 moments left behind in the video game, we knew it had not been over whatsoever. Our team just knew that this is actually the man that will definitely ravage the ready our company if our company do not stop that. As well as certainly merely seeing that very first play was evidence of that. Allow's certainly not boot him yet another ball." Gilmore: "They received smart and chose to kick it to John Gilmore. I had pair of yields in that video game. That's what happens when Devin takes the position first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder contributed to this record.