.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, originally dealing with the Minnesota Vikings before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a recurring panelist on Around the Horn as well as range of Utmost Full week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She formerly operated at the San Jose Mercury Updates as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester returned to his indigenous South Fla for the largest game of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was actually effectively on his means to coming to be the most ideal gain professional in NFL history.The previous second-round pick, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually currently gotten first-team All-Pro recognition and Pro Dish honors by the opportunity the Bears advanced to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a career- as well as league-high 47 puntings along with three resulting in goals in 2006. He additionally came back pair of firsts for goals and also scored after coming back a skipped basket 108 yards versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts had loads of film to examine as they prepared for Chicago's most hazardous weapon. They had actually found Hester manage a punting back 83 yards for the go-ahead touchdown to cap off a 20-point comeback draw the Cardinals. They witnessed him rip past the St. Louis Rams twice in the very same video game to scratch first profit touchdowns of 94 and also 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the coin shake inside a wet Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and also selected to get, the Colts delivered the opening first right into Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 few seconds to dash where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' end line, 92 gardens away, all while enjoying themself on the videoboard as he taped the only TD gain of an opening first in Super Bowl history.The frustration coming from an ultimate 29-17 reduction to the Colts did little to fade the play that highlights Hester's Venue of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect is going to be enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the first player selected to the Pro Soccer Venue of Popularity primarily as a kick returner a player that stimulated some of the best iconic moments in NFL history.Devin Hester actually started the Super Dish with a residence call Among the best zing returners ever turns 40 today.( via @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 assembled a tactical plan for Hester that revolved around him not touching the sphere. While the Bears' unique staffs units were the best explosive in the game, the Colts rated 30th in kickoff coverage and also 32nd in punt coverage. Listed below is just how that program eventually accepted among the most fantastic plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't a risky aggressive group. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. However insurance coverage, profits, they had the greatest exclusive teams device in the NFL. Bar none. As well as the most ideal returner, perhaps in NFL past." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "Our company were actually kicking to the sections, our experts are actually jumping the sphere, our experts're squibbing it, we're punting higher, or even our experts are actually punting out of bounds. Our company claimed, 'He is actually not heading to be actually an aspect. Our experts assume our company can easily control their offense.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his profits for touchdowns were actually puntings, certainly not essentially kickoffs [Hester came back 3 punts as well as pair of kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew without a doubt the strategy was actually don't punt the round to him. Try to punt it 40 gardens, forty five yards, out of bounds. Compromise some proximity yet do not permit him obtain the sphere in his hands." Our experts thought about it the various other means as well as failed to intend to compromise a ton of yardage on kickoff things, thus since our team have actually obtained a number of our beginners therein, allow's attempt to pin him behind-the-scenes as well as find if we may overload that edge as well as attempt to lessen his yield. Our experts practiced that all week long. It wasn't also like our company were actually paniced to kick a touchback. Our experts were more concerned concerning hitting it over in the corner, as well as if he records it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe however it is actually actually close to the side project, then our team could make an effort to package him in a little." Reid: "The game plan was we are actually not heading to kick to him. He is actually too unsafe." Times prior to the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "Some of our chaplains gave a church company prior to the activity as well as discussed David and also Goliath and stated, 'The cause David prospered is he wasn't afraid. All the other Israelites hesitated of Goliath.' So I began presuming, am I placing fear right into our guys' souls? Am I playing this inappropriate? We can't hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as startled as any individual that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the rain fell, Hester took the kick back and also brought in history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I altered my mind and also stated if our company shed the toss, our experts're visiting start. We are actually heading to boot it to him, as well as I prefer you to go down and also extra pound him. And when our team knock their champ down, that's going to send an information just like David." I talked about it along with Russ Purnell, our exclusive groups instructor, and also naturally he claimed we can cover, our company may do this. We'll receive him in the Super Dish. Everyone desires to have their moment. Nobody desires to head out certainly there and also only point out, 'Hey, our experts weren't part of this, or even our team failed to contribute.' So it was mutual, yet by the end of the day, it was my selection." Reid: "Pair of or even 3 days prior to the game I moved the fellas to convince Coach Dungy. I claimed, 'We can manage him. Our experts'll be alright.' You can tell [Dungy] felt uneasy regarding performing it, yet he's like: 'OK, I trust you guys.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique teams organizer: "Every game that our experts possessed, it was always an inquiry of who's heading to kick to him, that isn't going to boot to him. We understood that they had talked about not kicking to him, yet we constantly supposed as a workers that they were actually going to boot to our company in the Super Dish even if it's the Super Dish." That's what I informed all of them Saturday night. I said, 'They're going to boot the round right to our company.'" An unexpected storm moved in to the Miami region on game time and disposed almost one in of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 enjoyed Hester and also the Bears first yield staff trot onto the area to receive the opening kick after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a novice, his confidence when he took the field was actually unbelievable. We took a ton of pride in blocking out for him. Unique staffs had not been a chore. It really did not feel like you were being punished for not being a starter. Whenever you tromped the industry with him in the yield game, it resembled, 'Male, we may take it to our home.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is pre-smartphones. I keep in mind seeing all these flashes click on when the ball is being began. That was actually unbelievable." Gilmore: "Running out to the video game coming from the locker room really felt unique. I have actually never experienced anything like it. It was like the films. There were actually Roman candle lights being shot up and all the ashes were actually boiling down in funeral pace. It absolutely possessed me annoyed out. I reached the subsidiary and also it resembled, 'Whoa, what merely occurred?' And afterwards our experts gain the coin shake and also our team're acquiring. Talk about an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I pointed out if it enters the end region, get that reception for him. That's what remained in my thoughts considering that it was actually never carried out, had actually never been actually performed before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it never entered my thoughts that he would certainly dash a sphere back for a touchdown. It definitely failed to. I've possessed 2 of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Environment-friendly Bay Packers broad receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he ran it back for a touchdown. So it occurred to me just before, but at no opportunity was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it's mosting likely to occur again.' 2024 Pro Football Hall of FameThe Hall of Popularity Video Game between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will certainly be actually telecasted on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two plays that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney places spin on legacy u2022 Mongo's fight, quest to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I had not been horrendous when our experts performed it. I believed, our company'll put him in the corner, our company'll confront him inside the 25 and our company'll experience good about our own selves. And also is actually not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that showed up of my oral cavity [when he saw the round headed his way] were 'Divine s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and also raised field to the twenty. The closest a Colts defender would certainly get to handling him was protection Marlin Jackson, that was actually ins far from Hester, who increased off of his understanding. The Bears' block consisting of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid generated a void for Hester to blast past the initial wave of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Dish company logo as well as started sprinting alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the field, I just knew it. That's what he performed. He beat everybody whenever he did that. The middle of the area was gold for Devin. They really did not wish to kick it down the mid to Devin, however they relatively were actually considering it a lot of, and also if you believe you're trumped. If they kick it down the middle of the industry, I understood he was visiting credit rating." I maintained referring to him being in his yard [on the broadcast] I think I mentioned, 'Coming from Riviera Coastline to the most significant stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are ridiculous.'" Harris: "I keep in mind striking a person, it was possibly around the little Super Dish logo. I nicked this individual and also sort of saw [Devin] flashing through. And also when I reversed as well as I found he was actually out and all the Colts white colored jackets chasing him, I mentioned, 'All right, I've come to go satisfy him.' So I only removed on a dead sprint due to the fact that I knew he was scoring." Vinatieri: "When he surpassed our first surge of men, at that point our company have a safety and security on each side as well as me in the middle. I knew I was actually as well away coming from him. If I could possibly receive close good enough to him to at the very least slow-moving him down, maybe the search can reach him. However he juked the piss out of me, as well. That's the thing about Devin. When he possesses a small amount of area, with that said vision, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 yards for a goal with the opening first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged as well as didn't touch him in all, I was like 'damn.' It's funny since after one play, my jacket is dirtier than anybody's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually way too much open field, so I recognized correct at that point and also certainly there [after Vinatieri's attempt] It had not been a situation where I was pinned to a subsidiary and possessed the side project working against me. Our experts remained in the open industry, so I understood he had not been going to receive me." Joniak: "I keep in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and also Devin sought out. I was actually questioning why he was actually searching for eventually to discover that he was actually considering themself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and merely tripped him up and he detected completion zone for the touchdown." The Bears' energy will advance the next drive as they opened up a 14-6 lead, but the Colts took command in the second region for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts started the activity along with a goal and also we thought it was actually mosting likely to be actually an ass-whipping. Definitely really did not end up by doing this, even though our company came out as well as our experts received a pick right afterwards, very. Our company presumed our experts possessed all type of drive at that point and after that certainly it wound up changing on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I think the the main thing regarding that was it was the first play of the activity. That really done work in our advantage considering that if it was everything later than that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would certainly feel like, 'Oh my God!' It would certainly be actually a tough point to recover coming from." However our company possessed 4 quarters to recoup and place that behind us. Therefore, for us it was kind of like, 'Okay, our experts tried. Shame on us and after that our team may keep it moving currently.' Due to the fact that ultimately, we knew offensively our company were actually visiting rack up more than seven factors, and I recognized defensively our team were actually visiting keep them coming from recording." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire group is fired up and thrilled. Now when they kick off to us, their protection is visiting be coming a million kilometers a hr given that the drive is already on their side ... yet the reality that there was actually still 59 1/2 mins left behind in the activity, we understood it wasn't over whatsoever. Our company felt in one's bones that this is actually the fella that is going to wreck the game for our team if we don't prevent that. And also undoubtedly only seeing that initial play was verification of that. Let's not kick him another sphere." Gilmore: "They acquired intelligent as well as decided to kick it to John Gilmore. I possessed 2 gains in that video game. That's what happens when Devin takes the position first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder contributed to this report.