.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, actually covering the Minnesota Vikings before switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a recurring panelist on Around the Horn and also hold of Utmost Full week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She recently operated at the San Jose Mercury Headlines as an interactives media sports journalist.By the time Devin Hester returned to his native South Fla for the most significant game of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was well on his means to ending up being the very best gain specialist in NFL history.The past second-round pick, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually currently gotten first-team All-Pro acknowledgment as well as Pro Dish tributes due to the time the Bears progressed to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a profession- and league-high 47 punts with three leading to goals in 2006. He also returned two firsts for touchdowns and scored after coming back a missed out on basket 108 yards versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts had a lot of film to study as they got ready for Chicago's most unsafe tool. They had seen Hester operate a punting back 83 lawns for the consent goal to cover off a 20-point comeback draw the Cardinals. They watched him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the exact same game to scratch kickoff profit touchdowns of 94 and also 96 lawns, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the coin toss inside a stormy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and elected to obtain, the Colts delivered the position first right into Hester's grasp.It took him every one of 14 few seconds to dash from where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' end line, 92 gardens away, all while viewing himself on the videoboard as he videotaped the only TD return of an opening kickoff in Super Bowl history.The frustration coming from a possible 29-17 loss to the Colts performed little to fade the play that emphasizes Hester's Hall of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect is going to be preserved in Canton this weekend as the 1st gamer elected to the Pro Soccer Hall of Fame initially as a zing returner a player that sparked one of one of the most legendary moments in NFL history.Devin Hester truly started the Super Bowl along with a property telephone call Some of the greatest kick returners ever switches 40 today.( via @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For pair of full weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had actually produced a strategic plan for Hester that revolved around him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' unique crews devices were actually one of the most eruptive in the organization, the Colts ranked 30th in first protection as well as 32nd in punt protection. Right here is how that strategy essentially accepted some of the most thrilling plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a harmful aggressive group. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. But coverage, come back, they had the best unique crews unit in the NFL. Club none. As well as the most ideal returner, probably in NFL history." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "We were kicking to the sections, we are actually hopping the ball, our team are actually squibbing it, we are actually punting higher, or we're punting out of bounds. Our company stated, 'He is actually not going to be actually an aspect. Our experts assume our experts can easily handle their offense.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his profits for goals were puntings, not automatically kickoffs [Hester came back 3 punts and pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood for sure the tactical plan was don't punt the round to him. Try to punt it 40 yards, forty five lawns, away from bounds. Give up some span however perform certainly not allow him acquire the ball in his hands." Our company thought of it the various other method and didn't desire to compromise a lot of yardage on first things, therefore since our team have actually obtained a couple of our beginners in there, let's attempt to affix him behind-the-scenes and observe if our team may overload that side and also make an effort to decrease his gain. Our experts exercised that all week long. It had not been also like our company were worried to boot a touchback. Our experts were even more worried concerning striking it over in the corner, as well as if he records it at the 2- or 3-yard line but it is actually truly close to the subsidiary, after that our team might try to package him in a little bit." Reid: "The strategic plan was our company are actually certainly not visiting boot to him. He is actually too dangerous." Days just before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "One of our pastors provided a church company before the game as well as talked about David as well as Goliath as well as claimed, 'The cause David achieved success is he had not been afraid. All the various other Israelites feared of Giant.' So I started thinking, am I putting fear in to our men' hearts? Am I playing this incorrect? Our experts can't hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as pleasantly surprised as any individual that the Colts were kicking to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the rain fell, Hester took the take it easy and created history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I modified my thoughts as well as pointed out if our company shed the throw, our company're heading to kick off. Our team are actually mosting likely to kick it to him, and also I desire you to drop and also extra pound him. As well as when our team take their champion down, that's visiting send a message similar to David." I referred to it along with Russ Purnell, our unique teams coach, and also obviously he stated our team can cover, our company may do this. Our team'll obtain him in the Super Bowl. Everyone desires to possess their second. Nobody wants to go out certainly there and only say, 'Hey, our company weren't portion of this, or even our company didn't assist.' So it was actually mutual, yet by the end of the time, it was my decision." Reid: "2 or even three times before the game I rallied the people to encourage Train Dungy. I pointed out, 'Our company can easily handle him. We'll be great.' You might say to [Dungy] worried about doing it, but he's like: 'OK, I trust you people.'" Dave Toub, Bears special crews planner: "Every game that we had, it was actually consistently a question of who is actually heading to boot to him, that isn't heading to boot to him. We knew that they had spoken about certainly not kicking to him, but our experts constantly supposed as a staff that they were mosting likely to kick to our company in the Super Dish just because it is actually the Super Bowl." That's what I informed all of them Saturday night. I stated, 'They're going to kick the ball right to our team.'" An unexpected storm moved right into the Miami location on video game time and also disposed virtually one in of storm over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 seen Hester as well as the Bears first return team trot onto the field to obtain the opening kick after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a rookie, his assurance when he took the industry was unbelievable. Our company took a ton of honor in blocking for him. Unique staffs wasn't a duty. It didn't think that you were actually being actually penalized for not being actually a starter. At any time you stepped on the industry with him in the profit activity, it felt like, 'Male, we can get it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is pre-smartphones. I keep in mind observing all these flashes hit when the round is being actually started. That was actually unbelievable." Gilmore: "Running out to the activity coming from the closet space felt surreal. I have actually never ever felt anything like it. It felt like the flicks. There were actually Roman candles being skyrocketed plus all the cinders were boiling down in funeral pace. It totally had me annoyed out. I came to the side project as well as it was like, 'Whoa, what just occurred?' And after that we gain the piece toss and also our company're acquiring. Discuss an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment manager: "I stated if it goes in completion zone, obtain that ball for him. That's what remained in my thoughts because it was actually never done, had never ever been done before." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it never entered my thoughts that he would certainly rush a sphere back for a goal. It really failed to. I've possessed 2 of them in Super Dishes. I kicked one to [Green Gulf Packers broad receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and also he ran it back for a goal. So it occurred to me prior to, however at no time was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually visiting occur once more.' 2024 Pro Football Hall of FameThe Hall of Fame Activity between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be telecasted on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 participates in that specify 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 had not been fearful when our experts did it. I assumed, our experts'll place him in the edge, our team'll confront him inside the 25 and our experts'll feel pretty good regarding our own selves. Which's never what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that visited of my oral cavity [when he found the round headed his way] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line as well as raised industry to the 20. The closest a Colts guardian would certainly come to handling him was safety and security Marlin Jackson, who was actually inches out of Hester, who sped up off of his comprehension. The Bears' block consisting of Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid generated a space for Hester to blast past the initial surge of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Dish company logo as well as began dashing parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the industry, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he carried out. He beat everybody every single time he carried out that. The center of the field was actually golden for Devin. They failed to wish to boot it down the mid to Devin, but they seemingly were dealing with it excessive, and also if you think you're defeated. If they boot it down the center of the industry, I recognized he was mosting likely to rating." I maintained talking about him remaining in his backyard [on the show] I feel I mentioned, 'From Riviera Coastline to the largest phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are actually absurd.'" Harris: "I keep in mind hitting a fella, it was possibly around the little Super Dish logo design. I broke this person as well as kind of saw [Devin] showing off through. And when I shifted and also I saw he was actually out plus all the Colts white colored shirts chasing him, I claimed, 'All right, I have actually got to go meet him.' So I merely took off on a dead sprint given that I understood he was racking up." Vinatieri: "Once he got past our initial wave of men, after that our experts possess a safety on each edge and me between. I recognized I was actually also far away coming from him. If I could get close good enough to him to a minimum of slow him down, perhaps the quest might get to him. Yet he outwited the piss out of me, also. That's things concerning Devin. When he possesses a little of area, with that dream, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 gardens for a goal with the opening first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove as well as really did not touch him in all, I resembled 'damn.' It is actually funny because after one play, my jersey is dirtier than anyone's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was a lot of open industry, so I knew correct then and certainly there [after Vinatieri's try] It had not been a condition where I was actually affixed to a sideline and possessed the subsidiary antagonizing me. Our experts remained in the available industry, so I knew he had not been going to receive me." Joniak: "I remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and Devin searched for. I was pondering why he was actually finding eventually to discover that he was examining himself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and just slipped him up and also he tumbled into the end area for the goal." The Bears' momentum will continue on the next ride as they opened a 14-6 lead, however the Colts took management in the 2nd sector for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company began the video game along with a goal and our company assumed it was actually visiting be an ass-whipping. Actually didn't end up this way, although our company emerged as well as our experts obtained a pick right after that, too. We presumed our company had all kinds of energy at that point and after that definitely it ended up shifting on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive end: "I believe the one point about that was it was the initial play of the activity. That actually functioned in our perk given that if it was actually just about anything later than that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it will be like, 'Oh my The lord!' It will be actually a difficult trait to bounce back from." But we had 4 fourths to bounce back and also place that responsible for our team. Therefore, for our company it was type of like, 'All right, our team attempted. Embarassment on our company and afterwards we can maintain it moving currently.' Considering that ultimately, we knew offensively our company were visiting rack up greater than 7 aspects, and I knew defensively our team were mosting likely to maintain them coming from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire crew is actually fired up and thrilled. Now when they kick off to our team, their self defense is visiting be actually happening a million miles an hour since the drive is currently on their side ... but the truth that there was still 59 1/2 moments left behind in the game, we knew it wasn't over whatsoever. Our team just knew that this is the guy that will ravage the game for our team if our team do not prevent that. As well as certainly simply checking out that 1st play was verification of that. Allow's not kick him one more ball." Gilmore: "They received wise as well as decided to boot it to John Gilmore. I had 2 profits because activity. That's what takes place when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder brought about this record.