.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings before shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a regular panelist on Around the Horn and range of Best Full week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She previously operated at the San Jose Mercury Headlines as a mixeds media sporting activities journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester returned to his native South Florida for the biggest activity of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was effectively on his way to becoming the best return specialist in NFL history.The previous second-round selection, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually actually made first-team All-Pro awareness and Pro Dish respects due to the opportunity the Bears accelerated to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back an occupation- as well as league-high 47 puntings along with 3 leading to goals in 2006. He likewise came back pair of firsts for touchdowns as well as scored after coming back a missed out on field goal 108 lawns versus the New york city Giants.The Colts possessed plenty of movie to analyze as they organized Chicago's many harmful item. They had seen Hester operate a punt back 83 gardens for the permission touchdown to cap off a 20-point resurgence win over the Cardinals. They witnessed him rip past the St. Louis Rams two times in the very same video game to mark first gain goals of 94 and 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the piece throw inside a rainy Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens as well as chosen to obtain, the Colts sent the opening kickoff right in to Hester's grasp.It took him every one of 14 seconds to sprint from where he dealt with Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' goal, 92 backyards away, all while seeing themself on the videoboard as he documented the only TD yield of an opening first in Super Bowl history.The frustration coming from an eventual 29-17 loss to the Colts carried out little to fade the play that accentuates Hester's Venue of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect is going to be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend as the initial gamer elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame initially as a zing returner a player who sparked some of one of the most legendary minutes in NFL history.Devin Hester really started the Super Bowl along with a property call Some of the best zing returners ever transforms 40 today.( by means of @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For pair of weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had actually put together a strategy for Hester that revolved around him certainly not touching the sphere. While the Bears' special groups units were actually the best eruptive in the organization, the Colts rated 30th in kickoff protection and 32nd in punt coverage. Right here is exactly how that program ultimately accepted among the best exciting plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't a dangerous aggressive team. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. But coverage, return, they possessed the most effective unique crews unit in the NFL. Club none. And also the greatest returner, possibly in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head trainer: "Our company were booting to the edges, we are actually hopping the sphere, our experts're squibbing it, we are actually punting higher, or our company're punting out of bounds. Our team claimed, 'He is actually certainly not visiting be actually a variable. Our experts assume we can easily control their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his profits for touchdowns were puntings, not necessarily kickoffs [Hester returned 3 punts as well as 2 kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood for certain the game plan was don't punt the round to him. Attempt to punt it 40 yards, 45 yards, away from bounds. Compromise some span but perform certainly not let him obtain the ball in his palms." Our experts thought about it the other means and didn't want to lose a lot of yardage on kickoff things, thus given that we have actually got a couple of our beginners therein, let's attempt to affix him in a corner as well as view if our company can easily overload that side and try to reduce his yield. We exercised that all week long. It had not been even like our team were fretted to boot a touchback. We were actually additional concerned regarding striking it over in the edge, and if he catches it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe but it is actually really near the subsidiary, after that our company could possibly attempt to carton him in a bit." Reid: "The strategy was our experts are actually not heading to boot to him. He is actually as well harmful." Times before the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy changed his mind.Dungy: "Among our chaplains gave a church service just before the video game and also discussed David as well as Goliath and said, 'The factor David achieved success is he had not been scared. All the various other Israelites feared of Giant.' So I began thinking, am I placing fear right into our guys' souls? Am I playing this incorrect? Our team can not fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as stunned as any individual that the Colts were kicking to him to open Super Bowl XLI. As the rainfall fell, Hester took the take it easy and brought in history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I modified my thoughts and also mentioned if our experts drop the toss, our company're mosting likely to start. Our company are actually visiting boot it to him, and also I prefer you to go down and pound him. And when our company knock their champ down, that's mosting likely to deliver a message just like David." I discussed it along with Russ Purnell, our exclusive staffs train, as well as obviously he claimed our team can easily deal with, our team may do this. Our experts'll get him in the Super Dish. Everybody wants to have their second. No one desires to go out there as well as merely point out, 'Hey, we weren't aspect of this, or we failed to assist.' So it was reciprocal, but in the end of the day, it was my choice." Reid: "Two or 3 days before the game I rallied the guys to entice Train Dungy. I pointed out, 'Our company may handle him. Our team'll be actually fine.' You can inform [Dungy] regreted concerning doing it, but he resembles: 'OK, I trust you fellas.'" Dave Toub, Bears special staffs coordinator: "Every activity that our experts possessed, it was actually regularly a question of that's heading to kick to him, that isn't heading to boot to him. We knew that they had actually talked about certainly not kicking to him, yet we constantly presumed as a personnel that they were going to kick to us in the Super Bowl even if it's the Super Bowl." That's what I informed them Sunday evening. I said, 'They are actually visiting boot the sphere right to our team.'" An unanticipated tornado relocated in to the Miami location on video game day as well as ditched virtually one inch of rain over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the night. A crowd of 74,512 checked out Hester as well as the Bears kickoff gain crew trot onto the field to get the position zing after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a newbie, his confidence when he took the field was unbelievable. We took a lot of satisfaction in obstructing for him. Exclusive groups wasn't a duty. It really did not believe that you were actually being actually disciplined for not being a starter. Whenever you tromped the area along with him in the yield activity, it was like, 'Guy, we can get it to your home.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I bear in mind seeing all these flashes hit when the ball is actually being actually began. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Running out to the game coming from the storage locker area experienced surreal. I've never ever felt just about anything like it. It was like the motion pictures. There were Roman candlesticks being skyrocketed plus all the embers were boiling down in slow mo. It entirely had me badgered out. I got to the subsidiary and it felt like, 'Whoa, what just occurred?' And after that our experts win the coin shake and we're obtaining. Discuss an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears tools supervisor: "I stated if it enters the end area, get that ball for him. That's what resided in my thoughts due to the fact that it was actually never done, had actually certainly never been actually performed before." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it never entered my thoughts that he would jog a round back for a touchdown. It truly failed to. I have actually had two of them in Super Bowls. I booted one to [Environment-friendly Gulf Packers vast receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he functioned it back for a goal. So it happened to me before, however at no opportunity was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually heading to occur once more.' 2024 Pro Football Hall of FameThe Hall of Fame Video Game in between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will certainly be actually televised on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of plays that define Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney puts spin on legacy u2022 Mongo's fight, adventure to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I had not been horrendous when our company performed it. I presumed, our team'll place him in the edge, our company'll tackle him inside the 25 and our company'll experience pretty good regarding our own selves. And also is actually not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that showed up of my oral cavity [when he found the sphere moved his means] were actually 'Holy s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line as well as raised industry to the twenty. The closest a Colts protector would get to tackling him was security Marlin Jackson, that was ins away from Hester, that accelerated out of his realization. The Bears' wedge consisting of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid produced a void for Hester to blow past the very first wave of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish company logo and started dashing alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the area, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he carried out. He outran everybody whenever he did that. The center of the field was gold for Devin. They didn't would like to kick it down the mid to Devin, yet they apparently were actually thinking about it a lot of, as well as if you believe you're trumped. If they boot it down the middle of the industry, I understood he was actually heading to score." I always kept discussing him remaining in his backyard [on the program] I think I mentioned, 'Coming from Riviera Beach to the largest phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually outrageous.'" Harris: "I keep in mind hitting a guy, it was most likely around the little Super Dish logo. I broke this man and also type of saw [Devin] showing off by. And also when I turned around and I found he was out plus all the Colts white colored shirts chasing him, I pointed out, 'All right, I've come to go fulfill him.' So I merely removed on a lifeless sprint since I understood he was scoring." Vinatieri: "Once he surpassed our initial wave of fellas, then we have a safety and security on each edge and me in between. I understood I was as well away from him. If I could possibly obtain close sufficient to him to at least sluggish him down, possibly the interest could possibly get to him. But he juked the piss out of me, too. That is actually the thing concerning Devin. When he has a little of area, keeping that sight, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 lawns for a goal along with the position first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and really did not touch him in all, I resembled 'damn.' It's hilarious since after one play, my jacket is actually dirtier than any person's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually excessive open industry, so I recognized right at that point and also certainly there [after Vinatieri's try] It had not been a scenario where I was actually affixed to a side project and possessed the sideline working against me. Our company resided in the available industry, so I recognized he wasn't going to get me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and also Devin searched for. I was actually pondering why he was actually finding eventually to know that he was taking a look at themself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him and also merely tripped him up and also he tumbled into completion region for the touchdown." The Bears' drive would certainly continue on the next travel as they opened up a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took control in the second sector for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts started the game along with a goal and our team assumed it was actually heading to be actually an ass-whipping. Definitely really did not end up by doing this, despite the fact that we emerged and also we got a pick right after that, too. We thought we possessed all sort of momentum then and after that certainly it wound up switching on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I presume the something concerning that was it was actually the initial play of the activity. That in fact operated in our benefit considering that if it was actually just about anything beyond that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it would be like, 'Oh my God!' It will be a difficult factor to bounce back coming from." However our team had four quarters to bounce back and place that responsible for us. So, for our team it was sort of like, 'All right, our company tried. Pity on our team and then our team may keep it moving now.' Because eventually, we knew offensively our company were actually going to record more than 7 points, and I understood defensively our team were actually going to keep them from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their whole team is actually fired up as well as delighted. Right now when they begin to our company, their defense is actually mosting likely to be actually happening a thousand kilometers a hr due to the fact that the energy is actually presently on their side ... but the fact that there was still 59 1/2 moments left behind in the video game, we knew it wasn't over whatsoever. We just knew that this is actually the guy that is going to wreck the ready our team if our company do not avoid that. And also undoubtedly merely enjoying that 1st play was actually verification of that. Allow's not boot him one more ball." Gilmore: "They obtained wise and also chose to kick it to John Gilmore. I had 2 returns during that video game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the opening first for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder brought about this file.