.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, initially covering the Minnesota Vikings prior to switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent panelist on Around the Horn as well as hold of Best Week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She recently operated at the San Jose Mercury Updates as a multimedia sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester came back to his native South Florida for the biggest game of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was well on his means to ending up being the best gain professional in NFL history.The past second-round pick, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually made first-team All-Pro acknowledgment and Pro Bowl respects due to the opportunity the Bears evolved to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a career- as well as league-high 47 punts with 3 causing touchdowns in 2006. He additionally returned pair of firsts for touchdowns and also scored after coming back a missed field goal 108 yards versus the New york city Giants.The Colts possessed lots of movie to analyze as they planned for Chicago's most hazardous item. They had actually viewed Hester manage a punting back 83 backyards for the permission goal to cap off a 20-point resurgence draw the Cardinals. They watched him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the very same video game to scratch kickoff yield goals of 94 as well as 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the coin toss inside a wet Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens as well as chosen to acquire, the Colts sent out the opening first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 few seconds to dash from where he dealt with Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal, 92 backyards away, all while seeing himself on the videoboard as he recorded the only TD return of an opening first in Super Dish history.The letdown coming from a possible 29-17 loss to the Colts performed little bit of to vanish the play that accentuates Hester's Hall of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact is going to be enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the first gamer chosen to the Pro Regulation Football Venue of Fame primarily as a kick returner a gamer who stimulated among the best legendary seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester really started the Super Bowl with a home phone call Among the greatest kick returners ever before switches 40 today.( by means of @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For two weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had assembled a strategy for Hester that focused on him certainly not touching the ball. While the Bears' special crews systems were actually the most explosive in the game, the Colts rated 30th in kickoff protection and 32nd in punt protection. Listed below is actually how that strategy eventually yielded to among one of the most interesting plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't a harmful aggressive group. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet protection, come back, they possessed the very best exclusive groups unit in the NFL. Club none. And the best returner, probably in NFL background." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "Our company were actually kicking to the corners, our experts're jumping the round, our team are actually squibbing it, our company're punting higher, or our company are actually punting out of bounds. Our team mentioned, 'He's certainly not visiting be an element. Our team believe our company can easily manage their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his come backs for goals were actually punts, certainly not automatically kickoffs [Hester came back three punts as well as pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We knew without a doubt the strategic plan was actually do not punt the ball to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 gardens, 45 yards, away from bounds. Sacrifice some span however carry out not permit him obtain the sphere in his hands." We dealt with it the other method and also failed to desire to lose a ton of yardage on first stuff, therefore due to the fact that our experts've obtained a couple of our starters therein, let's attempt to affix him in a corner and view if our team can overload that edge as well as try to decrease his profit. Our team exercised that all week long. It wasn't even like our team were worried to kick a touchback. Our experts were actually more anxious about reaching it over in the corner, and also if he catches it at the 2- or even 3-yard line however it's truly close to the subsidiary, at that point our experts could attempt to carton him in a small amount." Reid: "The strategy was our company're certainly not going to boot to him. He is actually also unsafe." Times before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "Some of our pastors offered a church service prior to the video game and referred to David as well as Giant and also mentioned, 'The cause David achieved success is he wasn't terrified. All the other Israelites hesitated of Giant.' So I started assuming, am I putting worry into our people' hearts? Am I playing this inappropriate? Our company can't be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as stunned as any individual that the Colts were actually stopping to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the storm fell, Hester took the take it easy as well as created history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I transformed my mind as well as pointed out if we drop the throw, our experts are actually heading to kick off. We're mosting likely to boot it to him, as well as I wish you to go down as well as extra pound him. As well as when we take their champ down, that is actually mosting likely to deliver a message similar to David." I referred to it along with Russ Purnell, our exclusive crews train, and certainly he said our experts can easily deal with, our experts can do this. Our experts'll obtain him in the Super Dish. Everybody desires to possess their instant. No person wants to go out certainly there and also merely say, 'Hey, we weren't aspect of this, or even our team failed to contribute.' So it was actually shared, yet in the end of the day, it was my choice." Reid: "Pair of or 3 times before the video game I rallied the fellas to persuade Coach Dungy. I mentioned, 'Our team can easily manage him. Our company'll be actually great.' You might tell [Dungy] regreted concerning performing it, however he's like: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive staffs coordinator: "Every game that our company had, it was actually consistently a question of who's visiting kick to him, who isn't visiting kick to him. We knew that they had referred to certainly not kicking to him, yet our experts regularly supposed as a workers that they were mosting likely to kick to us in the Super Dish even if it is actually the Super Bowl." That's what I told all of them Sunday night. I stated, 'They're heading to kick the round right to us.'" An unforeseen hurricane relocated in to the Miami area on activity day and discarded nearly one in of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 seen Hester and also the Bears first gain crew trot onto the area to get the position zing following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a novice, his self-confidence when he took the industry was unreal. Our experts took a ton of pride in blocking for him. Exclusive staffs wasn't a chore. It failed to seem like you were being actually punished for certainly not being a starter. Whenever you stepped on the field with him in the gain activity, it felt like, 'Male, our experts may get it to our home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is pre-smartphones. I keep in mind observing all these flashes click when the round is actually being began. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Running out to the activity from the storage locker room felt unique. I've never ever really felt anything like it. It felt like the motion pictures. There were Roman candle lights being soared plus all the cinders were boiling down in funeral pace. It completely possessed me pestered out. I got to the side project and also it was like, 'Whoa, what merely taken place?' And then our experts succeed the coin shake and our team're obtaining. Discuss an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears tools manager: "I pointed out if it goes in the end region, obtain that ball for him. That's what was in my mind considering that it was certainly never done, had actually never ever been actually carried out prior to." Vinatieri: "Honestly it certainly never entered my thoughts that he would dash a round back for a touchdown. It actually didn't. I have actually possessed two of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Green Bay Packers large receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] and also he functioned it back for a touchdown. So it took place to me before, but at no time was I thinking, 'Oh my gosh, it's visiting take place once again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Hall of FameThe Venue of Fame Activity between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be aired on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of plays that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney places twist on legacy u2022 Mongo's match, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I had not been horrendous when our team performed it. I assumed, our team'll place him in the corner, our team'll attack him inside the 25 as well as we'll feel decent about our own selves. And that's not what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that appeared of my oral cavity [when he found the ball moved his means] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and also added area to the twenty. The closest a Colts defender would get to handling him was safety and security Marlin Jackson, that was ins off of Hester, who increased away from his understanding. The Bears' wedge including Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid developed a void for Hester to blow past the 1st surge of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Bowl company logo as well as began dashing alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the field, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he performed. He outran everyone every time he did that. The middle of the field was actually gold for Devin. They failed to wish to boot it down the middle to Devin, however they apparently were actually thinking of it a lot of, as well as if you believe you are actually defeated. If they boot it down the middle of the industry, I understood he was actually heading to score." I always kept referring to him residing in his yard [on the broadcast] I think I claimed, 'From Riviera Beach front to the biggest stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are foolish.'" Harris: "I remember attacking an individual, it was possibly around the little bit of Super Bowl logo. I broke this person as well as sort of saw [Devin] showing off by. And also when I shifted and I viewed he was out and all the Colts white colored shirts chasing him, I said, 'All right, I have actually come to go fulfill him.' So I just took off on a lifeless sprint given that I understood he was scoring." Vinatieri: "Once he got past our 1st wave of fellas, at that point our company have a safety on each side as well as me in the middle. I understood I was actually too away coming from him. If I can get close good enough to him to at the very least slow him down, maybe the quest might come to him. However he outwited the piss away from me, also. That's the many things regarding Devin. When he has a small amount of room, with that said sight, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 gardens for a touchdown with the position kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and also failed to touch him whatsoever, I resembled 'damn.' It is actually hilarious given that after one play, my jacket is actually dirtier than any person's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually a lot of available industry, so I knew best after that as well as certainly there [after Vinatieri's attempt] It had not been a circumstance where I was actually affixed to a sideline and also possessed the subsidiary antagonizing me. Our team resided in the available field, so I understood he had not been going to receive me." Joniak: "I don't forget [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down as well as Devin searched for. I was pondering why he was searching for eventually to learn that he was actually considering themself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him and merely stumbled him up and also he tumbled into the end area for the goal." The Bears' energy will continue the upcoming drive as they opened a 14-6 lead, however the Colts took control in the second quarter for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "We started the activity along with a goal as well as our team thought it was actually mosting likely to be actually an ass-whipping. Definitely failed to wind up this way, despite the fact that our experts came out and we obtained a selection right afterwards, extremely. Our experts thought our team had all type of drive at that point and after that obviously it wound up moving on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I assume the something regarding that was it was actually the initial play of the game. That actually operated in our perk because if it was anything later than that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it would resemble, 'Oh my The lord!' It would be a challenging point to bounce back coming from." But our company possessed four fourths to recover and also place that responsible for our team. So, for our company it was type of like, 'All right, we tried. Embarassment on us and afterwards our company can keep it moving now.' Given that ultimately, we knew offensively our company were actually visiting record more than seven factors, as well as I knew defensively our experts were actually mosting likely to maintain them from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their whole crew is ignited as well as delighted. Right now when they start to us, their protection is actually visiting be coming a thousand miles an hour due to the fact that the drive is actually actually on their side ... but the simple fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 mins left behind in the game, we understood it wasn't over whatsoever. Our team felt in one's bones that this is actually the man that will wreck the ready our team if our experts do not stop that. As well as certainly simply viewing that first play was actually verification of that. Permit's certainly not kick him another ball." Gilmore: "They obtained brilliant as well as chose to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed pair of returns because video game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner added to this document.