.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, actually dealing with the Minnesota Vikings just before shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a recurring panelist on Around the Horn and also range of Utmost Week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She recently operated at the San Jose Mercury Headlines as a multimedia sports journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester went back to his native South Florida for the biggest game of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was well on his method to becoming the best profit expert in NFL history.The previous second-round choice, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had currently made first-team All-Pro awareness and Pro Dish honors by the time the Bears progressed to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a profession- as well as league-high 47 punts with 3 resulting in touchdowns in 2006. He likewise returned two kickoffs for touchdowns as well as racked up after coming back a missed out on basket 108 lawns versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts possessed lots of film to research as they prepared for Chicago's the majority of risky item. They had actually observed Hester operate a punting back 83 gardens for the consent touchdown to top off a 20-point return draw the Cardinals. They witnessed him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the very same game to notch first yield touchdowns of 94 and 96 yards, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the coin throw inside a stormy Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens as well as selected to acquire, the Colts delivered the position kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 secs to run from where he handled Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal line, 92 backyards away, all while watching themself on the videoboard as he taped the only TD gain of an opening first in Super Bowl history.The setback from a resulting 29-17 reduction to the Colts performed little to vanish the play that complements Hester's Venue of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will certainly be preserved in Canton this weekend as the initial gamer selected to the Pro Football Hall of Popularity initially as a kick returner a player who triggered one of the absolute most legendary seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester really began the Super Bowl with a residence call Among the greatest zing returners ever transforms 40 today.( via @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For 2 full weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had crafted a strategy for Hester that hinged on him not touching the ball. While the Bears' special groups units were the absolute most explosive in the league, the Colts placed 30th in kickoff protection and 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Here is just how that program essentially accepted among one of the most fantastic plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't a harmful aggressive staff. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. However coverage, profits, they had the greatest exclusive teams unit in the NFL. Bar none. And also the best returner, perhaps in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "Our company were booting to the sections, our team are actually jumping the round, our experts are actually squibbing it, we are actually punting higher, or our experts're punting out of bounds. Our experts mentioned, 'He is actually not mosting likely to be a factor. Our experts assume our team can easily control their offense.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his profits for touchdowns were punts, not always kickoffs [Hester returned 3 punts and 2 kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood without a doubt the strategic plan was actually don't punt the ball to him. Attempt to punt it 40 yards, 45 gardens, away from bounds. Compromise some distance however perform certainly not allow him get the sphere in his hands." Our company thought about it the other technique as well as didn't want to give up a lot of yardage on first stuff, so because our company've got a couple of our starters therein, let's attempt to affix him in a corner as well as see if our team can easily overload that side as well as try to decrease his profit. Our team performed that all week long. It wasn't even like our experts were actually worried to boot a touchback. Our experts were more concerned regarding reaching it over in the corner, and if he catches it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe but it's actually near the side project, then our experts could possibly try to package him in a small amount." Reid: "The tactical plan was our experts are actually certainly not going to kick to him. He is actually as well harmful." Days before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "Among our pastors gave a chapel solution before the game and discussed David and also Goliath and also pointed out, 'The reason David was successful is he had not been frightened. All the various other Israelites hesitated of Goliath.' So I started believing, am I putting worry in to our men' centers? Am I playing this wrong? Our team can not be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as surprised as any person that the Colts were actually stopping to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the take it easy as well as brought in background. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I transformed my thoughts and stated if our experts lose the toss, our team're heading to kick off. We are actually mosting likely to boot it to him, as well as I wish you to decrease and pound him. And when our team take their champ down, that's heading to deliver a notification much like David." I talked about it along with Russ Purnell, our special staffs train, and also of course he mentioned our experts can easily deal with, we may do this. Our team'll receive him in the Super Dish. Everybody would like to have their moment. No person wants to walk out there and also simply point out, 'Hey, we weren't part of this, or even our team didn't contribute.' So it was actually reciprocal, yet by the end of the day, it was my choice." Reid: "Two or three times just before the video game I moved the men to encourage Train Dungy. I pointed out, 'Our team may handle him. Our company'll be alright.' You can say to [Dungy] worried about performing it, yet he feels like: 'OK, I trust you individuals.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive groups organizer: "Every activity that we possessed, it was actually always an inquiry of that is actually mosting likely to kick to him, that isn't visiting boot to him. We understood that they had actually talked about certainly not kicking to him, but our experts always supposed as a workers that they were actually mosting likely to kick to us in the Super Bowl just because it's the Super Dish." That's what I informed all of them Saturday night. I stated, 'They are actually heading to kick the round right to us.'" An unexpected hurricane moved in to the Miami region on video game time as well as discarded almost one inch of rain over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 checked out Hester as well as the Bears kickoff profit staff trot onto the field to get the position kick following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a rookie, his peace of mind when he took the area was unbelievable. Our experts took a great deal of honor in shutting out for him. Exclusive staffs wasn't a task. It really did not think that you were actually being penalized for not being a starter. Any time you tromped the field along with him in the yield game, it resembled, 'Male, our company can easily get it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I remember seeing all these flashes hit when the round is actually being actually started. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Going out to the game from the storage locker area really felt surreal. I have actually certainly never experienced everything like it. It was like the movies. There were Roman candles being skyrocketed and all the coal were actually boiling down in funeral pace. It totally had me annoyed out. I reached the subsidiary as well as it resembled, 'Whoa, what just happened?' And after that our experts win the coin throw as well as our team're getting. Speak about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears devices supervisor: "I stated if it uses completion area, get that ball for him. That's what was in my mind because it was actually certainly never done, had actually never been actually carried out prior to." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it never entered my mind that he would dash a ball back for a goal. It truly didn't. I've had 2 of them in Super Bowls. I booted one to [Veggie Bay Packers broad receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he functioned it back for a goal. So it happened to me prior to, however at no time was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it's heading to occur again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Venue of FameThe Hall of Fame Video Game in between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be telecasted on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 plays that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney places spin on heritage u2022 Mongo's fight, quest to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't fearful when our experts performed it. I believed, our experts'll place him in the corner, our experts'll attack him inside the 25 and our company'll feel fair concerning our own selves. Which is actually absolutely not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that came out of my oral cavity [when he found the ball moved his means] were actually 'Holy s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line as well as raised area to the twenty. The closest a Colts defender would certainly get to addressing him was actually security Marlin Jackson, who was actually ins away from Hester, who increased out of his grasp. The Bears' block containing Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid made a void for Hester to blast past the first wave of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Bowl logo design as well as began running alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the area, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he did. He eluded everybody every time he did that. The center of the industry was golden for Devin. They really did not wish to kick it down the mid to Devin, however they seemingly were actually dealing with it way too much, and also if you assume you're defeated. If they kick it down the middle of the industry, I knew he was actually visiting rating." I maintained discussing him remaining in his yard [on the show] I think I pointed out, 'From Riviera Coastline to the most significant phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are foolish.'" Harris: "I bear in mind reaching a fella, it was actually most likely around the little Super Bowl company logo. I broke this individual as well as sort of saw [Devin] flashing by. As well as when I shifted and also I observed he was out and all the Colts white colored shirts chasing him, I mentioned, 'Okay, I have actually come to go meet him.' So I simply took off on a lifeless sprint considering that I recognized he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "Once he got past our initial wave of guys, then our company have a safety and security on each edge as well as me between. I knew I was as well far away from him. If I could possibly get close sufficient to him to at the very least sluggish him down, possibly the interest can reach him. Yet he outwited the piss out of me, too. That is actually the important things concerning Devin. When he has a small amount of area, with that vision, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 lawns for a goal with the position kickoff in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged as well as failed to touch him in all, I was like 'damn.' It is actually comical given that after one play, my jacket is actually dirtier than anybody's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was excessive open industry, so I recognized right after that and also certainly there [after Vinatieri's effort] It wasn't a circumstance where I was actually affixed to a subsidiary and had the side project working against me. Our company remained in the available industry, so I knew he had not been going to get me." Joniak: "I always remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down as well as Devin sought out. I was actually wondering why he was searching for eventually to find out that he was looking at themself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him and also just tripped him up and also he tumbled into the end region for the touchdown." The Bears' drive would advance the following drive as they opened a 14-6 top, however the Colts took control in the 2nd part for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our team began the video game along with a touchdown as well as our company assumed it was heading to be actually an ass-whipping. Definitely failed to wind up that way, although our company appeared and also our experts obtained a selection right after that, extremely. We presumed our company possessed all kinds of momentum then and then definitely it ended up shifting on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I believe the one thing about that was it was the very first play of the activity. That in fact worked in our advantage due to the fact that if it was actually anything behind that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would feel like, 'Oh my God!' It would be actually a tough point to recover coming from." But our experts possessed four one-fourths to recuperate and put that behind our company. Therefore, for our team it was sort of like, 'All right, our team attempted. Embarassment on our company and then our team can easily keep it relocating right now.' Due to the fact that eventually, we understood offensively we were actually heading to count greater than 7 aspects, as well as I recognized defensively our team were going to maintain them coming from counting." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire team is ignited and also thrilled. Right now when they start to us, their self defense is mosting likely to be happening a million kilometers an hour due to the fact that the drive is actually on their edge ... yet the fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 mins left in the activity, we knew it had not been over whatsoever. Our company felt in one's bones that this is actually the person that will certainly ravage the ready our team if we do not protect against that. And undoubtedly simply viewing that first play was proof of that. Permit's certainly not kick him another ball." Gilmore: "They acquired brilliant and decided to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed two yields in that video game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner added to this document.