.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, originally dealing with the Minnesota Vikings before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a frequent panelist on Around the Horn as well as range of Best Full week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She recently operated at the San Jose Mercury Information as a mixeds media sports journalist.By the time Devin Hester came back to his native South Florida for the largest video game of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was effectively on his means to coming to be the most ideal yield professional in NFL history.The past second-round choice, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually gotten first-team All-Pro recognition as well as Pro Bowl respects by the time the Bears evolved to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned an occupation- and league-high 47 punts along with 3 causing touchdowns in 2006. He also returned 2 firsts for goals as well as racked up after returning an overlooked field goal 108 backyards versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts possessed loads of movie to research as they prepared for Chicago's the majority of risky tool. They had actually found Hester operate a punting back 83 backyards for the okay goal to cover off a 20-point resurgence sway the Cardinals. They watched him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the same activity to scratch first profit goals of 94 as well as 96 yards, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the coin toss inside a wet Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens and also selected to obtain, the Colts sent the position first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 seconds to sprint from where he handled Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' end zone, 92 gardens away, all while enjoying himself on the videoboard as he documented the only TD profit of an opening kickoff in Super Dish history.The frustration coming from an ultimate 29-17 loss to the Colts did little bit of to vanish the play that highlights Hester's Hall of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect is going to be actually preserved in Canton this weekend as the very first player chosen to the Pro Soccer Venue of Fame primarily as a kick returner a gamer who triggered one of the absolute most well-known instants in NFL history.Devin Hester actually started the Super Bowl along with a residence call One of the best kick returners ever before turns 40 today.( by means of @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For pair of weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had come up with a game plan for Hester that focused on him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' exclusive groups units were one of the most explosive in the game, the Colts positioned 30th in kickoff coverage and 32nd in punt coverage. Below is actually exactly how that program essentially accepted one of the best fantastic plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a harmful aggressive team. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. But coverage, come back, they had the most effective unique teams system in the NFL. Pub none. As well as the very best returner, probably in NFL past." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "Our team were booting to the sections, we are actually bouncing the ball, our team're squibbing it, we are actually punting high, or even we are actually punting out of bounds. Our company pointed out, 'He is actually certainly not visiting be actually an element. Our experts presume our team can manage their offense.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his profits for touchdowns were puntings, certainly not essentially kickoffs [Hester returned three puntings as well as 2 firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood without a doubt the tactical plan was actually do not punt the round to him. Try to punt it 40 yards, forty five yards, away from bounds. Give up some range but do certainly not permit him receive the round in his palms." Our company thought of it the other method and also failed to intend to give up a lots of yardage on first stuff, thus since our company have actually obtained a couple of our starters in there, let's make an effort to affix him in a corner as well as see if our team may overload that side as well as attempt to decrease his gain. Our experts performed that all week long. It had not been also like our company were actually paniced to kick a touchback. We were more interested regarding striking it over in the corner, as well as if he records it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe but it's truly near the sideline, then our company could make an effort to box him in a little bit." Reid: "The strategic plan was our team're not going to kick to him. He is actually as well risky." Days before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "One of our pastors provided a chapel solution prior to the video game and spoke about David and also Giant and stated, 'The reason David was successful is he had not been hesitant. All the other Israelites feared of Giant.' So I began believing, am I putting fear into our guys' centers? Am I playing this incorrect? We can't be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as shocked as any individual that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the settle back as well as brought in history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I transformed my thoughts and said if we lose the shake, we are actually mosting likely to begin. We're heading to kick it to him, as well as I wish you to drop and extra pound him. And also when our team knock their champion down, that is actually going to send a notification much like David." I referred to it along with Russ Purnell, our special crews train, and obviously he stated we can easily deal with, our company can possibly do this. Our team'll receive him in the Super Dish. Everyone wishes to have their second. No one intends to head out certainly there and only say, 'Hey, our company weren't aspect of this, or our company really did not contribute.' So it was shared, but at the end of the time, it was my selection." Reid: "Two or even 3 days before the activity I rallied the guys to encourage Coach Dungy. I pointed out, 'Our company can easily manage him. Our team'll be fine.' You might inform [Dungy] worried regarding performing it, but he resembles: 'OK, I trust you individuals.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique teams organizer: "Every activity that our company had, it was actually constantly a question of that is actually heading to boot to him, who isn't going to boot to him. We understood that they had discussed certainly not booting to him, yet our experts constantly supposed as a workers that they were actually mosting likely to kick to us in the Super Dish just because it's the Super Bowl." That's what I told all of them Sunday evening. I claimed, 'They are actually heading to kick the ball right to our company.'" An unforeseen storm moved in to the Miami area on video game time as well as unloaded almost one in of rain over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the night. A group of 74,512 enjoyed Hester as well as the Bears kickoff yield staff trot onto the area to receive the opening kick after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a newbie, his self-confidence when he took the area was unreal. Our team took a bunch of pleasure in blocking out for him. Unique staffs wasn't a job. It really did not feel like you were being reprimanded for certainly not being actually a starter. Any time you tromped the industry along with him in the yield video game, it was like, 'Man, our company may take it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is pre-smartphones. I bear in mind seeing all these flashes hit when the round is actually being began. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Ending to the video game coming from the closet area felt unique. I have actually never ever really felt just about anything like it. It felt like the flicks. There were Roman candles being actually skyrocketed plus all the cinders were actually boiling down in slow mo. It totally had me annoyed out. I came to the sideline and it resembled, 'Whoa, what just taken place?' And after that our experts gain the piece shake as well as we are actually obtaining. Talk about an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears tools manager: "I claimed if it enters completion zone, obtain that ball for him. That's what was in my mind due to the fact that it was actually certainly never performed, had never ever been actually done prior to." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it certainly never entered my mind that he would certainly rush a round back for a touchdown. It truly didn't. I have actually had 2 of them in Super Bowls. I kicked one to [Veggie Gulf Packers large receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and also he functioned it back for a touchdown. So it happened to me just before, but at no opportunity was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually going to happen once more.' 2024 Pro Football Venue of FameThe Hall of Popularity Video Game between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will certainly be televised on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two participates in that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney places spin on tradition u2022 Mongo's battle, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't horrendous when we performed it. I believed, our company'll put him in the section, we'll attack him inside the 25 and our experts'll experience decent concerning ourselves. Which's absolutely not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that visited of my mouth [when he viewed the round moved his way] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line as well as added industry to the twenty. The closest a Colts protector would certainly reach handling him was protection Marlin Jackson, who was actually ins off of Hester, who increased away from his understanding. The Bears' block being composed of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid generated a space for Hester to blow past the first wave of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Bowl logo as well as began dashing parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the area, I just knew it. That's what he did. He outran everyone each time he performed that. The middle of the area was actually golden for Devin. They didn't would like to boot it down the center to Devin, yet they apparently were actually considering it too much, and also if you believe you're trumped. If they boot it down the center of the field, I understood he was going to rating." I always kept discussing him being in his backyard [on the show] I believe I pointed out, 'Coming from Riviera Coastline to the biggest phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are ludicrous.'" Harris: "I keep in mind attacking a guy, it was actually probably around the little bit of Super Bowl company logo. I nicked this individual and also type of saw [Devin] showing off by. As well as when I shifted and also I found he was out plus all the Colts white jackets chasing him, I stated, 'All right, I've reached go satisfy him.' So I merely removed on a lifeless sprint considering that I understood he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "The moment he surpassed our initial surge of individuals, then we possess a safety on each side and also me in the middle. I recognized I was too far away from him. If I can obtain close enough to him to at least sluggish him down, possibly the quest could possibly reach him. Yet he juked the piss away from me, too. That is actually the important things regarding Devin. When he possesses a little bit of room, with that said sight, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 lawns for a goal with the opening kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged and didn't touch him whatsoever, I was like 'damn.' It is actually hilarious since after one play, my jacket is dirtier than any person's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was too much available industry, so I knew appropriate then and there [after Vinatieri's attempt] It had not been a scenario where I was actually pinned to a subsidiary and had the side project working against me. Our experts resided in the available industry, so I understood he had not been going to get me." Joniak: "I don't forget [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and Devin found. I was actually pondering why he was seeking out later to find out that he was actually checking out themself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and also only stumbled him up and he detected the end zone for the goal." The Bears' momentum would continue the next travel as they opened up a 14-6 top, however the Colts took control in the 2nd sector for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts began the activity along with a touchdown and also our company thought it was actually heading to be an ass-whipping. Truly really did not end up by doing this, although our experts showed up and our team obtained a selection right afterwards, extremely. Our experts presumed our team possessed all kinds of energy at that point and then certainly it found yourself changing on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I think the the main thing concerning that was it was actually the 1st play of the video game. That really done work in our perk given that if it was actually anything beyond that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it would feel like, 'Oh my The lord!' It would certainly be a challenging trait to recuperate coming from." Yet we had 4 one-fourths to recoup as well as put that responsible for our company. Therefore, for us it was type of like, 'Okay, we made an effort. Embarassment on our team and then our company may keep it relocating currently.' Given that ultimately, we understood offensively we were actually visiting record more than 7 factors, as well as I knew defensively we were actually going to keep them coming from recording." Vinatieri: "Their whole team is fired up and also excited. Currently when they start to our company, their self defense is actually heading to be actually coming a million kilometers a hr due to the fact that the drive is actually presently on their side ... however the reality that there was actually still 59 1/2 moments left behind in the game, we understood it wasn't over whatsoever. Our team felt in one's bones that this is the man that is going to wreck the game for our team if our experts don't stop that. As well as obviously merely viewing that initial play was actually evidence of that. Permit's not kick him yet another round." Gilmore: "They received intelligent and made a decision to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed two yields because video game. That's what takes place when Devin takes the opening first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner supported this report.