.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Personnel WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, initially dealing with the Minnesota Vikings just before switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent 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 thousand. She previously operated at the San Jose Mercury News as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester went back to his indigenous South Fla for the most significant game of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was actually well on his means to becoming the most ideal gain expert in NFL history.The previous second-round selection, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually gained first-team All-Pro recognition and also Pro Dish tributes by the time the Bears progressed to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned an occupation- and also league-high 47 punts with three causing touchdowns in 2006. He also returned pair of kickoffs for goals and also scored after returning a skipped basket 108 backyards versus the New York Giants.The Colts possessed a lot of film to examine as they organized Chicago's a lot of hazardous tool. They had viewed Hester manage a punting back 83 lawns for the consent goal to top off a 20-point comeback win over the Cardinals. They watched him rip past the St. Louis Rams twice in the same activity to scratch first gain goals of 94 and 96 lawns, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the piece throw inside a stormy Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens and chosen to get, the Colts sent the opening kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him every one of 14 few seconds to run from where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' goal line, 92 lawns away, all while seeing himself on the videoboard as he taped the only TD gain of a position kickoff in Super Bowl history.The letdown from an eventual 29-17 reduction to the Colts did little bit of to vanish the play that accentuates Hester's Venue of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact is going to be actually preserved in Canton this weekend break as the 1st player chosen to the Pro Regulation Football Hall of Prominence primarily as a zing returner a gamer who triggered some of the most legendary instants in NFL history.Devin Hester truly started the Super Dish along with a house telephone call Among the greatest kick returners ever turns 40 today.( via @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For two full weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had actually put together a game plan for Hester that revolved around him not touching the round. While the Bears' unique crews units were actually the most explosive in the league, the Colts positioned 30th in kickoff coverage and 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Listed below is actually how that planning inevitably yielded to some of one of the most exciting plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a risky offensive staff. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. But protection, return, they had the very best special teams system in the NFL. Bar none. And also the most ideal returner, possibly in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "Our company were booting to the sections, our experts're jumping the round, our team're squibbing it, we are actually punting higher, or our experts're punting out of bounds. We mentioned, 'He's certainly not going to be an element. Our experts believe we can easily regulate their offense.'" Vinatieri: "Most of his returns for goals were actually puntings, certainly not automatically kickoffs [Hester came back 3 punts and also two firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood without a doubt the game plan was do not punt the sphere to him. Attempt to punt it 40 lawns, 45 backyards, out of bounds. Lose some proximity however do certainly not let him receive the round in his hands." Our company thought about it the various other means and also didn't would like to compromise a ton of yardage on first stuff, thus since we've got a couple of our beginners in there, permit's make an effort to affix him in a corner and view if our team can overload that edge and make an effort to reduce his return. Our company performed that all full week long. It wasn't also like our team were worried to boot a touchback. Our company were more concerned about striking it over in the corner, and also if he captures it at the 2- or even 3-yard pipe but it is actually really close to the subsidiary, then our company could possibly make an effort to package him in a small amount." Reid: "The game plan was we are actually not heading to kick to him. He is actually also hazardous." Days just before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "One of our pastors offered a church company prior to the activity as well as referred to David and Goliath and also claimed, 'The factor David achieved success is he had not been afraid. All the other Israelites were afraid of Giant.' So I began assuming, am I placing fear right into our guys' souls? Am I playing this inappropriate? Our team can not hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as shocked as anyone that the Colts were kicking to him to open Super Bowl XLI. As the storm became, Hester took the settle back and brought in past history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I altered my mind as well as pointed out if we lose the throw, our team are actually visiting kick off. Our company're heading to kick it to him, as well as I desire you to drop as well as pound him. And also when we knock their champ down, that is actually mosting likely to deliver a message similar to David." I referred to it with Russ Purnell, our unique staffs instructor, and naturally he said our company can deal with, our experts may do this. Our team'll get him in the Super Dish. Everybody wishes to possess their moment. No one would like to go out there and only point out, 'Hey, our experts weren't aspect of this, or even our experts didn't support.' So it was common, but by the end of the time, it was my choice." Reid: "2 or even three days prior to the activity I rallied the fellas to persuade Train Dungy. I stated, 'Our team can easily manage him. Our experts'll be actually alright.' You could tell [Dungy] felt uneasy regarding performing it, yet he's like: 'OK, I trust you guys.'" Dave Toub, Bears special teams coordinator: "Every game that our experts possessed, it was constantly an inquiry of who's visiting kick to him, who isn't heading to boot to him. We understood that they had spoken about certainly not kicking to him, yet we constantly assumed as a personnel that they were actually going to kick to our company in the Super Bowl even if it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I told them Sunday night. I claimed, 'They are actually heading to boot the sphere right to us.'" An unexpected hurricane moved right into the Miami area on video game time as well as ditched virtually one in of rain over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 checked out Hester and also the Bears first yield staff trot onto the area to get the opening zing following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a novice, his confidence when he took the area was actually unbelievable. We took a ton of pleasure in blocking for him. Special staffs had not been a duty. It really did not think that you were actually being actually disciplined for certainly not being actually a starter. Any time you stepped on the field with him in the gain activity, it resembled, 'Guy, our experts can easily take it to your home.'" Chris Harris, Bears security: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I don't forget viewing all these flashes hit when the round is actually being kicked off. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Going out to the game coming from the closet area really felt surreal. I've never ever really felt anything like it. It felt like the flicks. There were Classical candles being actually shot up plus all the ashes were boiling down in slow motion. It totally possessed me badgered out. I got to the subsidiary as well as it resembled, 'Whoa, what simply happened?' And then our company gain the piece toss as well as our team are actually acquiring. Refer to an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears devices supervisor: "I claimed if it enters completion area, obtain that reception for him. That's what resided in my mind because it was actually never ever carried out, had certainly never been done prior to." Vinatieri: "Frankly it never ever entered my mind that he will dash a round back for a goal. It actually failed to. I have actually possessed 2 of all of them in Super Bowls. I booted one to [Eco-friendly Gulf Packers wide receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] as well as he worked it back for a touchdown. So it occurred to me before, however at no opportunity was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually heading to occur once again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Hall of FameThe Hall of Prominence Activity between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be telecasted on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two participates in that determine Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney puts spin on tradition u2022 Mongo's fight, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been fearful when our experts did it. I assumed, our experts'll place him in the edge, our experts'll confront him inside the 25 as well as our company'll experience good about ourselves. And also is actually absolutely not what took place." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that visited of my oral cavity [when he observed the sphere moved his way] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester got Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line as well as ran up industry to the 20. The closest a Colts guardian would reach tackling him was safety and security Marlin Jackson, who was inches away from Hester, who sped up away from his realization. The Bears' block featuring Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid made a gap for Hester to blow past the initial wave of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Bowl company logo and began dashing parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it halfway of the industry, I just knew it. That's what he carried out. He beat everybody each time he performed that. The center of the field was golden for Devin. They didn't want to boot it down the mid to Devin, however they seemingly were thinking of it way too much, and also if you assume you're defeated. If they kick it down the center of the field, I recognized he was going to credit rating." I kept discussing him being in his yard [on the show] I think I mentioned, 'From Riviera Beach to the largest phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are preposterous.'" Harris: "I keep in mind hitting an individual, it was possibly around the little Super Dish company logo. I broke this individual and also sort of saw [Devin] showing off by. And when I turned around as well as I observed he was actually out and all the Colts white jackets chasing him, I mentioned, 'All right, I have actually reached go meet him.' So I simply took off on a lifeless sprint due to the fact that I recognized he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "As soon as he surpassed our first wave of guys, after that our company have a security on each side and me between. I understood I was actually too distant from him. If I could possibly obtain close good enough to him to at least sluggish him down, maybe the quest could come to him. Yet he outwited the piss out of me, also. That is actually the many things about Devin. When he has a little of room, with that said sight, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 gardens for a touchdown along with the opening first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and didn't touch him whatsoever, I was like 'damn.' It's hilarious since after one play, my shirt is actually dirtier than anybody's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually a lot of open industry, so I recognized ideal then and also certainly there [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a circumstance where I was actually affixed 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 acquire me." Joniak: "I keep in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and also Devin searched for. I was asking yourself why he was actually finding later on to learn that he was examining himself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and also simply tripped him up and also he detected the end zone for the touchdown." The Bears' energy would certainly advance the upcoming drive as they opened a 14-6 top, however the Colts took management in the second region for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts began the video game along with a goal as well as our team believed it was actually heading to be an ass-whipping. Truly really did not wind up in this way, despite the fact that our company emerged and also our experts got a pick right after that, extremely. Our company assumed our company possessed all type of drive then and then clearly it found yourself shifting on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I think the one thing about that was it was actually the first play of the activity. That actually worked in our advantage because if it was anything behind that, like in in the 4th quarter, it would certainly resemble, 'Oh my God!' It would certainly be actually a challenging trait to recover from." However our team possessed 4 fourths to recoup and place that responsible for our team. So, for our team it was kind of like, 'Okay, we made an effort. Pity on our company and after that our team can keep it relocating now.' Considering that eventually, we understood offensively our team were actually heading to score much more than 7 aspects, as well as I understood defensively we were visiting maintain them from recording." Vinatieri: "Their whole staff is fired up and excited. Right now when they kick off to our team, their protection is heading to be coming a million miles an hour since the drive is actually currently on their edge ... however the fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 moments left in the video game, we understood it had not been over by any means. Our company felt in one's bones that this is actually the fella that will certainly damage the ready us if our company do not stop that. And obviously only seeing that first play was verification of that. Permit's not kick him another ball." Gilmore: "They obtained intelligent and also made a decision to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed 2 yields during that video game. That's what takes place when Devin takes the opening first for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder brought about this document.