.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings just before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a recurring panelist on Around the Horn as well as range of Best Week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She previously operated at the San Jose Mercury News as an interactives 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 effectively on his technique to becoming the most ideal profit specialist in NFL history.The former second-round pick, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually presently earned first-team All-Pro acknowledgment and Pro Dish tributes due to the time the Bears advanced to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a career- and also league-high 47 punts along with 3 causing goals in 2006. He likewise came back two kickoffs for touchdowns and racked up after returning an overlooked field goal 108 gardens versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts had a lot of movie to research as they organized Chicago's many hazardous item. They had actually viewed Hester operate a punt back 83 yards for the consent touchdown to top off a 20-point revival win over the Cardinals. They observed him rip past the St. Louis Rams twice in the same video game to scratch first return goals of 94 and also 96 yards, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the piece shake inside a rainy Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens as well as elected to receive, the Colts delivered the position first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 secs to run where he dealt with Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal line, 92 gardens away, all while seeing himself on the videoboard as he tape-recorded the only TD return of an opening first in Super Bowl history.The letdown coming from a possible 29-17 loss to the Colts did little bit of to vanish the play that emphasizes Hester's Hall of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will definitely be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the 1st gamer elected to the Pro Football Hall of Popularity primarily as a zing returner a gamer that triggered some of the best well-known minutes in NFL history.Devin Hester actually began the Super Bowl along with a residence call One of the greatest kick returners ever before transforms 40 today.( using @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 actually assembled a strategic plan for Hester that revolved around him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' exclusive teams units were actually the absolute most explosive in the league, the Colts ranked 30th in kickoff protection and 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Listed here is actually just how that plan eventually yielded to among the most amazing plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't an unsafe aggressive staff. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. However protection, come back, they had the best special crews device in the NFL. Pub none. And also the greatest returner, perhaps in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head trainer: "Our team were actually booting to the edges, we are actually bouncing the sphere, we're squibbing it, we're punting higher, or even our experts're punting out of bounds. Our company pointed out, 'He is actually certainly not heading to be a factor. Our experts assume we can regulate their offense.'" Vinatieri: "Most of his returns for touchdowns were actually punts, certainly not automatically kickoffs [Hester returned 3 punts and also 2 kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood for sure the tactical plan was do not punt the round to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 lawns, forty five gardens, away from bounds. Give up some distance but do certainly not allow him get the round in his palms." Our company dealt with it the various other technique as well as didn't intend to give up a lots of yardage on kickoff stuff, therefore given that our experts have actually received a number of our starters therein, permit's attempt to pin him behind-the-scenes and also view if our company may overload that side and try to decrease his yield. Our company engaged in that all full week long. It had not been also like our team were fretted to kick a touchback. Our company were actually even more worried concerning attacking it over in the corner, and if he catches it at the 2- or 3-yard line yet it is actually actually close to the side project, after that we might try to carton him in a little bit." Reid: "The strategic plan was our company are actually not visiting kick to him. He is actually as well harmful." Days prior to the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "Among our chaplains provided a chapel company before the activity and also spoke about David as well as Giant and also mentioned, 'The explanation David achieved success is he wasn't afraid. All the various other Israelites feared of Giant.' So I began believing, am I putting fear into our individuals' centers? Am I playing this wrong? We can not hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as pleasantly surprised as anyone that the Colts were kicking to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the take it easy and also made background. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I altered my thoughts and also said if we lose the throw, our team're mosting likely to start. Our experts're going to boot it to him, as well as I wish you to decrease as well as extra pound him. And when our company knock their champ down, that is actually heading to send out a message similar to David." I spoke about it with Russ Purnell, our exclusive staffs train, as well as certainly he claimed our experts can easily deal with, our experts may do this. Our team'll obtain him in the Super Bowl. Everybody would like to possess their moment. No one wants to go out certainly there and simply state, 'Hey, our company weren't aspect of this, or even we really did not contribute.' So it was shared, yet in the end of the time, it was my selection." Reid: "2 or even 3 times prior to the activity I moved the men to convince Train Dungy. I stated, 'Our team can handle him. Our experts'll be fine.' You could possibly inform [Dungy] felt uneasy about performing it, yet he resembles: 'OK, I trust you individuals.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique crews coordinator: "Every game that our experts had, it was consistently a concern of who's mosting likely to kick to him, that isn't mosting likely to kick to him. We understood that they had actually spoken about not kicking to him, yet our company constantly supposed as a workers that they were actually going to kick to us in the Super Bowl just because it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I informed them Saturday evening. I stated, 'They're visiting kick the ball right to our team.'" An unpredicted hurricane relocated in to the Miami place on activity day and also dumped nearly one inch of rain over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 enjoyed Hester and the Bears first return team trot onto the industry to obtain the opening kick after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a novice, his peace of mind when he took the field was actually unreal. Our team took a great deal of pride in blocking for him. Exclusive crews had not been a chore. It didn't believe that you were being penalized for not being a starter. Whenever you tromped the area with him in the return video game, it was like, 'Male, our team can take it to our home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I always remember viewing all these flashes click when the round is actually being started. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Running out to the video game from the storage locker area felt surreal. I've certainly never felt anything like it. It felt like the motion pictures. There were actually Classical candle lights being shot up and all the cinders were actually coming down in funeral pace. It totally had me annoyed out. I got to the subsidiary and also it was like, 'Whoa, what simply happened?' And afterwards our team win the piece throw and also we're obtaining. Speak about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears devices supervisor: "I mentioned if it uses the end area, get that ball for him. That's what was in my mind considering that it was actually never carried out, had actually never been carried out prior to." Vinatieri: "Honestly it never entered my mind that he would certainly jog a ball back for a touchdown. It actually failed to. I've possessed two of them in Super Dishes. I kicked one to [Environment-friendly Bay Packers wide receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he worked it back for a touchdown. So it took place to me just before, however at no time was I thinking, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually visiting happen again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Hall of FameThe Venue of Fame Video Game in between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be actually telecasted on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two plays that define Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney places twist on heritage u2022 Mongo's match, quest to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't fearful when our experts did it. I thought, we'll place him in the edge, our experts'll attack him inside the 25 and also our team'll experience decent concerning ourselves. Which is actually never what took place." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that showed up of my oral cavity [when he found the ball headed his method] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and also added field to the twenty. The closest a Colts defender will reach tackling him was protection Marlin Jackson, that was actually ins out of Hester, who accelerated away from his realization. The Bears' wedge consisting of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid made a gap for Hester to blow past the very first surge of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Bowl logo design as well as started sprinting parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it halfway of the area, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he performed. He eluded everyone every time he did that. The center of the field was actually gold for Devin. They failed to wish to boot it down the middle to Devin, yet they relatively were actually considering it way too much, and also if you presume you're trumped. If they boot it down the center of the field, I understood he was actually mosting likely to score." I always kept speaking about him remaining in his yard [on the show] I feel I claimed, 'From Riviera Seaside to the most significant stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are foolish.'" Harris: "I bear in mind attacking a person, it was perhaps around the little bit of Super Bowl company logo. I nicked this person as well as type of saw [Devin] flashing by. As well as when I shifted and I found he was out plus all the Colts white colored shirts chasing him, I claimed, 'All right, I have actually reached go satisfy him.' So I simply removed on a lifeless sprint due to the fact that I recognized he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "Once he got past our initial wave of people, after that our experts possess a safety and security on each edge and also me in the middle. I understood I was too far coming from him. If I could possibly get close sufficient to him to at the very least sluggish him down, possibly the pursuit could possibly get to him. Yet he outwited the piss away from me, as well. That is actually the important things regarding Devin. When he has a small amount of room, with that said sight, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 backyards for a goal along with the position first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and failed to touch him in all, I felt like 'damn.' It's funny because after one play, my shirt is dirtier than any person's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was a lot of open area, so I understood appropriate after that and certainly there [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a condition where I was affixed to a subsidiary as well as had the subsidiary working against me. Our company resided in the open field, so I understood he wasn't going to acquire me." Joniak: "I don't forget [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and also Devin looked up. I was questioning why he was actually searching for later on to know that he was examining himself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him and also merely slipped him up and also he detected completion area for the goal." The Bears' energy would certainly advance the upcoming travel as they opened up a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took management in the second region for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts began the activity along with a goal and our experts assumed it was actually going to be an ass-whipping. Really didn't end up in this way, despite the fact that our company showed up and also our experts acquired a selection right afterwards, very. We believed we had all sort of momentum at that point and afterwards certainly it wound up moving on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I assume the something concerning that was it was actually the initial play of the game. That in fact worked in our perk since if it was actually just about anything beyond that, like in in the fourth quarter, it would certainly be like, 'Oh my God!' It will be actually a tough thing to bounce back from." However we possessed four fourths to recuperate and also place that responsible for our team. So, for our team it was type of like, 'All right, our team made an effort. Pity on us and after that our team may keep it relocating now.' Due to the fact that in the long run, we understood offensively our company were mosting likely to score more than 7 aspects, and I knew defensively our team were mosting likely to keep them from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their entire staff is actually fired up and also excited. Right now when they start to our team, their self defense is mosting likely to be actually happening a thousand kilometers a hr considering that the energy is presently on their edge ... but the reality that there was actually still 59 1/2 moments left behind in the game, we understood it had not been over by any means. Our experts just knew that this is actually the man that will certainly wreck the ready our team if our experts don't avoid that. And definitely only watching that 1st play was evidence of that. Let's not kick him an additional round." Gilmore: "They got smart and decided to kick it to John Gilmore. I possessed pair of gains because activity. That's what occurs when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder supported this record.