.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, actually dealing with the Minnesota Vikings just before changing to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a regular panelist on Around the Horn as well as range of Best Full week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She formerly operated at the San Jose Mercury Information as a multimedia sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester came back to his native South Fla for the most significant activity of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was actually well on his means to ending up being the very best yield expert in NFL history.The past second-round choice, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually actually made first-team All-Pro acknowledgment and also Pro Dish tributes by the opportunity the Bears accelerated to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a career- as well as league-high 47 puntings with three leading to touchdowns in 2006. He likewise came back pair of kickoffs for touchdowns and also racked up after coming back a missed field goal 108 yards versus the New york city Giants.The Colts possessed a lot of film to study as they planned for Chicago's the majority of hazardous item. They had observed Hester run a punt back 83 yards for the permission goal to top off a 20-point rebound sway the Cardinals. They saw him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the same activity to scratch first return touchdowns of 94 and 96 yards, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the coin shake inside a wet Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens as well as chosen to obtain, the Colts delivered the position kickoff right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 secs to run from where he handled Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal, 92 gardens away, all while enjoying himself on the videoboard as he taped the only TD return of an opening kickoff in Super Bowl history.The letdown from an ultimate 29-17 reduction to the Colts carried out little to fade the play that accentuates Hester's Hall of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will definitely be preserved in Canton this weekend as the very first player selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame first and foremost as a kick returner a gamer who sparked some of the best famous moments in NFL history.Devin Hester really began the Super Dish along with a house phone call One of the greatest kick returners ever before turns 40 today.( via @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 put together a game plan for Hester that hinged on him not touching the ball. While the Bears' exclusive crews devices were actually the absolute most explosive in the league, the Colts placed 30th in kickoff coverage and 32nd in punt protection. Listed below is exactly how that plan ultimately accepted one of the absolute most fantastic plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective side: "They weren't an unsafe offensive crew. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. However insurance coverage, profits, they had the most effective exclusive crews system in the NFL. Pub none. And also the greatest returner, most likely in NFL past." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "We were actually kicking to the edges, we are actually bouncing the sphere, we are actually squibbing it, our company are actually punting higher, or we're punting out of bounds. Our team claimed, 'He's not visiting be actually an aspect. Our company think we may manage their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his returns for goals were actually punts, not always kickoffs [Hester came back three puntings and pair of kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood for sure the tactical plan was actually do not punt the ball to him. Try to punt it 40 lawns, 45 backyards, out of bounds. Lose some range however perform not permit him get the round in his palms." We thought of it the other way as well as really did not intend to compromise a lot of yardage on first stuff, thus because we have actually received a couple of our beginners in there, allow's make an effort to pin him behind-the-scenes as well as find if our company can easily overload that edge as well as try to reduce his gain. Our company engaged in that all full week long. It had not been also like our company were stressed to kick a touchback. Our team were additional anxious regarding striking it over in the section, as well as if he catches it at the 2- or even 3-yard pipe however it's actually near the side project, after that we might attempt to container him in a little." Reid: "The tactical plan was our team are actually certainly not mosting likely to kick to him. He is actually also dangerous." Days prior to the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy changed his mind.Dungy: "Among our chaplains gave a chapel service prior to the activity and talked about David as well as Giant as well as mentioned, 'The main reason David succeeded is he wasn't worried. All the various other Israelites feared of Giant.' So I began assuming, am I putting anxiety right into our individuals' centers? Am I playing this wrong? We can't be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as surprised as anyone that the Colts were kicking to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the storm became, Hester took the sit back and brought in record. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I modified my mind and said if our team lose the throw, our team're mosting likely to begin. Our company're mosting likely to kick it to him, as well as I wish you to drop as well as pound him. As well as when our company knock their champion down, that's heading to deliver a notification much like David." I referred to it with Russ Purnell, our exclusive staffs train, and obviously he said our experts can easily deal with, our team can do this. Our company'll acquire him in the Super Bowl. Everybody intends to possess their second. No one intends to go out there certainly and just mention, 'Hey, our experts weren't aspect of this, or even we didn't support.' So it was reciprocal, yet by the end of the time, it was my decision." Reid: "Pair of or even three times before the video game I moved the fellas to encourage Train Dungy. I claimed, 'Our experts can manage him. Our experts'll be fine.' You could possibly inform [Dungy] felt uneasy regarding doing it, however he's like: 'OK, I trust you people.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive groups organizer: "Every video game that our company had, it was actually regularly a question of that is actually visiting boot to him, that isn't going to kick to him. We understood that they had actually referred to certainly not kicking to him, yet our team regularly supposed as a personnel that they were actually visiting kick to us in the Super Bowl even if it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I informed all of them Sunday evening. I claimed, 'They are actually visiting kick the round right to our team.'" An unforeseen tornado moved in to the Miami region on activity day and disposed nearly one inch of storm over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 watched Hester as well as the Bears first gain staff trot onto the area to obtain the position zing following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a rookie, his assurance when he took the industry was actually unbelievable. Our team took a ton of pleasure in blocking for him. Special teams wasn't a task. It really did not think that you were actually being punished for not being actually a starter. At any time you stepped on the field with him in the return activity, it felt like, 'Male, our experts can easily take it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is pre-smartphones. I keep in mind seeing all these flashes click when the sphere is actually being actually kicked off. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Running out to the activity coming from the closet space really felt surreal. I've never ever really felt just about anything like it. It was like the motion pictures. There were Roman candles being actually soared plus all the coal were boiling down in slow mo. It totally possessed me annoyed out. I reached the subsidiary as well as it felt like, 'Whoa, what simply happened?' And afterwards our company succeed the coin shake and also our company're acquiring. Refer to an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment supervisor: "I pointed out if it goes in the end zone, receive that reception for him. That's what resided in my mind considering that it was certainly never carried out, had certainly never been carried out just before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it never ever entered my thoughts that he would certainly run a sphere back for a touchdown. It really didn't. I have actually had two of all of them in Super Bowls. I kicked one to [Green Bay Packers large receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and also he functioned it back for a touchdown. So it took place to me before, yet at no opportunity was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually heading to happen once again.' 2024 Pro Football Hall of FameThe Venue of Fame Activity between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be aired on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 participates in that define Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney places twist on tradition u2022 Mongo's battle, journey to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been horrendous when our experts performed it. I believed, we'll put him in the corner, our company'll attack him inside the 25 and also our experts'll feel decent concerning ourselves. Which's never what took place." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that emerged of my mouth [when he observed the sphere moved his technique] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and raised area to the 20. The closest a Colts defender will get to tackling him was actually security Marlin Jackson, who was inches out of Hester, that accelerated away from his realization. The Bears' wedge consisting of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid developed a gap for Hester to blow past the first surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish logo and began sprinting alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made the cut to the middle of the area, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he did. He outran everyone whenever he performed that. The center of the field was gold for Devin. They failed to would like to kick it down the center to Devin, yet they relatively were actually thinking about it excessive, as well as if you think you are actually trumped. If they boot it down the middle of the industry, I understood he was actually heading to score." I maintained referring to him being in his garden [on the broadcast] I believe I claimed, 'Coming from Riviera Coastline to the greatest phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually foolish.'" Harris: "I always remember reaching a man, it was probably around the little Super Dish company logo. I nicked this person and type of saw [Devin] flashing by. As well as when I reversed and also I observed he was out plus all the Colts white colored jackets chasing him, I claimed, 'Okay, I have actually reached go satisfy him.' So I merely removed on a dead sprint due to the fact that I knew he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "As soon as he got past our first surge of individuals, then our team have a protection on each side and me in the center. I recognized I was too far from him. If I could possibly get close good enough to him to a minimum of slow-moving him down, maybe the search could get to him. However he outwited the piss out of me, too. That is actually things regarding Devin. When he possesses a bit of room, with that vision, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 gardens for a touchdown along with the position kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged and really did not touch him in all, I resembled 'damn.' It is actually comical considering that after one play, my jersey is dirtier than any person's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was too much open area, so I knew best after that as well as there certainly [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a scenario where I was actually pinned to a subsidiary as well as possessed the side project working against me. Our company were in the available area, so I knew he wasn't going to receive me." Joniak: "I keep in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down as well as Devin searched for. I was actually asking yourself why he was finding later on to discover that he was actually looking at themself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and simply tripped him up and also he tumbled into the end region for the touchdown." The Bears' energy will advance the upcoming drive as they opened up a 14-6 top, however the Colts took command in the second quarter for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company began the video game along with a goal and also our experts believed it was actually mosting likely to be actually an ass-whipping. Truly really did not find yourself in this way, although our experts came out and our team obtained a selection right afterwards, very. Our team assumed our team had all kinds of drive then and afterwards certainly it found yourself changing on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I presume the the main thing regarding that was it was actually the 1st play of the video game. That really worked in our benefit given that if it was actually just about anything beyond that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would certainly resemble, 'Oh my God!' It would certainly be a challenging thing to recover from." Yet our experts had 4 one-fourths to recuperate and also put that responsible for our team. Therefore, for us it was actually kind of like, 'Okay, our team tried. Embarassment on us and then our company can keep it relocating currently.' Due to the fact that eventually, we knew offensively our experts were actually mosting likely to count greater than 7 aspects, and also I recognized defensively we were mosting likely to maintain them coming from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire staff is actually ignited and delighted. Right now when they start to our team, their protection is mosting likely to be actually coming a million miles an hour because the energy is presently on their side ... however the reality that there was still 59 1/2 mins left in the video game, we knew it had not been over by any means. Our team just knew that this is the individual that will definitely trash the ready our company if our experts do not avoid that. As well as clearly merely watching that initial play was verification of that. Permit's certainly not kick him one more ball." Gilmore: "They received wise and also made a decision to kick it to John Gilmore. I possessed two returns in that activity. That's what happens when Devin takes the opening first for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder resulted in this report.