.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, initially covering the Minnesota Vikings prior to switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a regular panelist on Around the Horn and host of Best Full week Ever on ESPN Radio. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News as a mixeds media sporting activities journalist.By the time Devin Hester returned to his native South Florida for the greatest video game of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was actually effectively on his method to becoming the most effective gain expert in NFL history.The former second-round selection, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually already earned first-team All-Pro recognition as well as Pro Bowl tributes due to the time the Bears advanced to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back an occupation- and also league-high 47 puntings with 3 leading to goals in 2006. He additionally came back two kickoffs for goals as well as racked up after coming back a missed out on basket 108 backyards versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts had lots of film to analyze as they planned for Chicago's the majority of dangerous tool. They had observed Hester manage a punt back 83 lawns for the okay goal to top off a 20-point comeback gain the Cardinals. They observed him rip past the St. Louis Rams twice in the very same video game to notch kickoff profit touchdowns of 94 as well as 96 lawns, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the coin shake inside a wet Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens and selected to receive, the Colts delivered the position kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 seconds to dash where he dealt with Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' end line, 92 lawns away, all while viewing themself on the videoboard as he documented the only TD yield of an opening 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 influence will certainly be enshrined in Canton this weekend as the first player selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame primarily as a kick returner a gamer who triggered some of the most well-known minutes in NFL history.Devin Hester truly began the Super Dish along with a property call One of the greatest zing returners ever before turns 40 today.( through @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For two weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually crafted a game plan for Hester that revolved around him not touching the ball. While the Bears' exclusive crews units were the best explosive in the league, the Colts placed 30th in first protection and also 32nd in punt coverage. Listed below is exactly how that strategy ultimately accepted some of the absolute most thrilling plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't an unsafe aggressive team. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. However insurance coverage, profits, they had the most effective special teams device in the NFL. Pub none. And the best returner, possibly in NFL background." Tony Dungy, Colts head trainer: "Our company were actually kicking to the corners, we are actually bouncing the ball, our experts're squibbing it, our experts are actually punting higher, or even our company're punting away from bounds. Our team said, 'He's not going to be actually an aspect. Our experts assume our experts can easily control their offense.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his returns for touchdowns were actually punts, certainly not essentially kickoffs [Hester came back three puntings and pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood for certain the strategy was don't punt the round to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 gardens, 45 yards, away from bounds. Lose some proximity but do not let him acquire the sphere in his palms." We considered it the other way as well as failed to want to sacrifice a ton of yardage on first stuff, thus due to the fact that our company have actually received a number of our beginners in there, allow's make an effort to pin him behind-the-scenes and also view if our company can easily overload that side and try to minimize his profit. Our experts practiced that all full week long. It wasn't even like our team were actually worried to kick a touchback. Our experts were actually even more interested regarding attacking it over in the edge, and if he catches it at the 2- or even 3-yard pipe but it is actually truly near the sideline, at that point our team might try to container him in a little." Reid: "The tactical plan was our team're certainly not visiting kick to him. He's as well dangerous." Times just before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy changed his mind.Dungy: "One of our chaplains offered a chapel company just before the activity as well as talked about David and also Goliath and also stated, 'The explanation David achieved success is he had not been worried. All the other Israelites feared of Giant.' So I began presuming, am I placing fear right into our people' souls? Am I playing this inappropriate? Our experts can not hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as startled as anyone that the Colts were stopping to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the settle back as well as made history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I modified my mind as well as stated if we lose the throw, our company are actually heading to kick off. We are actually visiting kick it to him, and also I wish you to drop and pound him. And when our company take their champ down, that's heading to send out an information similar to David." I referred to it along with Russ Purnell, our unique groups coach, and obviously he said we can cover, our experts can possibly do this. Our experts'll receive him in the Super Dish. Everyone desires to possess their instant. No person would like to walk out there certainly and also just point out, 'Hey, our company weren't component of this, or even our company didn't support.' So it was actually common, however by the end of the day, it was my decision." Reid: "Two or even three days before the video game I rallied the people to convince Train Dungy. I claimed, 'Our experts may manage him. Our experts'll be actually alright.' You could possibly tell [Dungy] worried concerning doing it, but he resembles: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears special staffs planner: "Every video game that our team had, it was regularly a concern of who is actually going to kick to him, who isn't heading to kick to him. We knew that they had actually referred to not booting to him, yet our team consistently supposed as a team that they were heading to boot to our company in the Super Dish just because it's the Super Dish." That's what I informed all of them Saturday evening. I stated, 'They're going to kick the ball right to us.'" An unforeseen storm moved right into the Miami area on activity day and poured virtually one inch of storm over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the night. A crowd of 74,512 seen Hester as well as the Bears first yield team trot onto the field to get the position kick just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a newbie, his confidence when he took the field was unreal. Our team took a bunch of pride in blocking for him. Unique teams had not been a duty. It failed to seem like you were being actually punished for not being actually a starter. Whenever you stepped on the area with him in the profit activity, it was like, 'Guy, our experts may get it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I bear in mind finding all these flashes click when the sphere is being actually kicked off. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Going out to the game coming from the locker area really felt unique. I've certainly never experienced anything like it. It was like the motion pictures. There were actually Roman candles being skyrocketed plus all the embers were boiling down in slow motion. It totally had me annoyed out. I got to the side project and it resembled, 'Whoa, what simply happened?' And after that our team succeed the piece shake as well as our company are actually obtaining. Talk about an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears devices supervisor: "I claimed if it enters completion area, receive that ball for him. That's what was in my mind because it was never ever carried out, had never ever been actually done prior to." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it never entered my mind that he would certainly dash a ball back for a goal. It truly didn't. I've possessed 2 of them in Super Containers. I kicked one to [Eco-friendly Gulf Packers large receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and also he operated it back for a goal. So it happened to me just before, yet at no time was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually visiting occur once more.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Hall of FameThe Venue of Fame Activity between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be televised on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 participates in that define Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney places spin on tradition u2022 Mongo's battle, experience to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't horrendous when our company performed it. I presumed, we'll put him in the section, our company'll attack him inside the 25 as well as we'll feel fair about ourselves. And that is actually not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that visited of my oral cavity [when he saw the ball headed his method] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester got Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and also added field to the 20. The closest a Colts defender would certainly get to handling him was actually safety and security Marlin Jackson, that was inches away from Hester, who accelerated away from his comprehension. The Bears' block being composed of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid produced a gap for Hester to blast past the first wave of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Bowl logo and started sprinting parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the industry, I just knew it. That's what he carried out. He eluded everyone every single time he carried out that. The center of the area was gold for Devin. They failed to would like to boot it down the middle to Devin, but they seemingly were dealing with it excessive, and also if you think you are actually trumped. If they boot it down the center of the field, I knew he was going to rating." I kept referring to him being in his lawn [on the program] I feel I stated, 'Coming from Riviera Beach front to the most significant stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually preposterous.'" Harris: "I bear in mind striking a fella, it was actually possibly around the little Super Dish logo. I broke this person as well as kind of saw [Devin] showing off by. And also when I turned around and I saw he was out plus all the Colts white colored jackets chasing him, I stated, 'Okay, I've got to go satisfy him.' So I merely removed on a lifeless sprint since I recognized he was racking up." Vinatieri: "Once he got past our first wave of people, at that point our experts possess a safety on each side and me in the center. I understood I was actually as well far coming from him. If I could possibly obtain close sufficient to him to at the very least sluggish him down, possibly the interest can get to him. But he outwited the piss out of me, as well. That is actually the important things concerning Devin. When he has a little bit of space, with that said sight, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 backyards for a goal with the opening first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove as well as failed to touch him in all, I resembled 'damn.' It's funny because after one play, my jersey is dirtier than anybody's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was a lot of open industry, so I knew best after that as well as there [after Vinatieri's attempt] It wasn't a scenario where I was affixed to a sideline and possessed the sideline antagonizing me. We were in the available industry, so I understood he had not been going to get me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and also Devin searched for. I was asking yourself why he was seeking out later to learn that he was actually considering himself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him and also only tripped him up as well as he detected completion area for the touchdown." The Bears' energy will continue on the next travel as they opened up a 14-6 top, however the Colts took management in the 2nd region for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company began the activity with a goal as well as our experts believed it was mosting likely to be actually an ass-whipping. Truly failed to wind up in this way, even though our company appeared and also our team obtained a choice right afterwards, extremely. Our company presumed we had all kinds of energy then and then clearly it wound up shifting on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I presume the a single thing about that was it was the 1st play of the activity. That really operated in our benefit because if it was actually everything behind that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it will be like, 'Oh my God!' It would certainly be actually a difficult factor to recover coming from." But our team had four quarters to recover and place that responsible for our team. So, for us it was actually sort of like, 'All right, our experts attempted. Shame on our team and after that our team can maintain it relocating now.' Due to the fact that in the end, we understood offensively we were actually visiting score more than 7 aspects, and I understood defensively our company were actually heading to maintain all of them from counting." Vinatieri: "Their whole group is actually ignited as well as thrilled. Right now when they start to us, their defense is visiting be coming a thousand kilometers a hr since the energy is actually actually on their edge ... however the simple fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 moments left in the video game, we knew it wasn't over whatsoever. Our experts felt in one's bones that this is the fella that will definitely trash the ready our company if our team don't stop that. And also clearly simply watching that 1st play was actually verification of that. Permit's certainly not kick him yet another ball." Gilmore: "They acquired wise as well as made a decision to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed two returns in that video game. That's what happens when Devin takes the opening first for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder supported this document.