.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 changing to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and hold of Utmost Full week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She previously operated at the San Jose Mercury News as an interactives media sports journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester came back to his native South Fla for the most significant video game of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was actually effectively on his method to becoming the best gain professional in NFL history.The former second-round choice, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually gained first-team All-Pro recognition and Pro Dish tributes due to the time the Bears progressed to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a profession- and also league-high 47 puntings with 3 resulting in goals in 2006. He likewise came back two kickoffs for touchdowns and scored after coming back a skipped field goal 108 backyards versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts possessed plenty of film to research as they organized Chicago's most dangerous weapon. They had actually observed Hester manage a punt back 83 backyards for the consent touchdown to cover off a 20-point comeback get the Cardinals. They experienced him rip past the St. Louis Rams two times in the exact same game to mark first yield goals of 94 as well as 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the piece toss inside a rainy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and selected to obtain, the Colts delivered the position kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him every one of 14 few seconds to dash from where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' goal line, 92 yards away, all while viewing himself on the videoboard as he videotaped the only TD gain of an opening first in Super Dish history.The disappointment from a possible 29-17 reduction to the Colts did little to vanish the play that emphasizes Hester's Venue of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence is going to be preserved in Canton this weekend break as the initial player chosen to the Pro Football Hall of Fame primarily as a zing returner a player that stimulated among the best iconic moments in NFL history.Devin Hester actually began the Super Dish along with a house call Some of the best zing returners ever before turns 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For pair of weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had put together a tactical plan for Hester that focused on him not touching the sphere. While the Bears' exclusive groups units were actually one of the most explosive in the game, the Colts rated 30th in first protection and 32nd in punt coverage. Listed here is actually exactly how that strategy eventually yielded to among the best stimulating plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a hazardous aggressive group. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. However insurance coverage, profits, they possessed the most effective special teams device in the NFL. Bar none. As well as the greatest returner, perhaps in NFL background." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "We were actually booting to the sections, our experts're hopping the sphere, we are actually squibbing it, our team are actually punting high, or even we are actually punting out of bounds. We claimed, 'He's not going to be actually an element. Our company presume our company can handle their offense.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his profits for touchdowns were actually punts, certainly not always kickoffs [Hester came back three punts and 2 kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood for sure the game plan was actually do not punt the ball to him. Try to punt it 40 lawns, 45 yards, away from bounds. Sacrifice some proximity but carry out certainly not allow him obtain the ball in his hands." Our company thought about it the other way and didn't wish to sacrifice a ton of yardage on first things, therefore considering that our experts've got a couple of our beginners therein, permit's attempt to pin him behind-the-scenes as well as view if our team can easily overload that side and make an effort to reduce his profit. Our experts performed that all week long. It wasn't also like our experts were fretted to boot a touchback. Our company were actually more anxious about striking it over in the section, as well as if he captures it at the 2- or even 3-yard line however it's definitely close to the subsidiary, after that our experts could attempt to container him in a bit." Reid: "The game plan was our team're certainly not mosting likely to boot to him. He is actually too hazardous." Days before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy changed his mind.Dungy: "One of our chaplains gave a church company prior to the activity as well as spoke about David and also Goliath and mentioned, 'The cause David achieved success is he wasn't hesitant. All the various other Israelites hesitated of Giant.' So I started assuming, am I placing concern into our individuals' centers? Am I playing this incorrect? We can't hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as surprised as anybody that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the unwind and also made background. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I changed my mind and also mentioned if our experts shed the toss, we are actually visiting kick off. We're mosting likely to boot it to him, as well as I want you to drop and extra pound him. And also when our company knock their champ down, that's heading to deliver a notification much like David." I spoke about it with Russ Purnell, our special teams instructor, and also of course he stated our team can cover, our company can possibly do this. We'll obtain him in the Super Bowl. Everyone wants to possess their instant. No person wishes to head out there certainly and only say, 'Hey, we weren't aspect of this, or our team really did not support.' So it was actually reciprocal, but in the end of the time, it was my choice." Reid: "2 or even 3 days prior to the video game I moved the fellas to persuade Coach Dungy. I stated, 'Our experts can easily manage him. Our team'll be fine.' You might tell [Dungy] worried regarding doing it, yet he resembles: 'OK, I trust you fellas.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique staffs coordinator: "Every video game that our company had, it was constantly a question of who is actually visiting boot to him, that isn't heading to kick to him. We understood that they had discussed not kicking to him, however our team always assumed as a team that they were actually mosting likely to kick to our company in the Super Dish even if it's the Super Bowl." That's what I informed all of them Saturday night. I stated, 'They're heading to boot the ball right to us.'" An unexpected storm moved into the Miami area on game time and also dumped nearly one inch of storm over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the night. A crowd of 74,512 watched Hester and the Bears first return team trot onto the field to receive the opening kick just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a novice, his self-confidence when he took the industry was unbelievable. We took a lot of honor in shutting out for him. Exclusive teams wasn't a chore. It really did not believe that you were actually being reprimanded for certainly not being actually a starter. Whenever you stepped on the area along with him in the profit game, it resembled, 'Guy, our experts may get it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is pre-smartphones. I keep in mind seeing all these flashes click on when the sphere is being began. That was actually unbelievable." Gilmore: "Running out to the activity coming from the locker room felt surreal. I've never ever really felt anything like it. It felt like the movies. There were actually Classical candles being actually shot up and all the embers were actually boiling down in slow motion. It totally possessed me annoyed out. I got to the side project as well as it was like, 'Whoa, what just taken place?' And afterwards our company succeed the piece shake as well as our company're acquiring. Refer to an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment manager: "I said if it uses the end region, get that ball for him. That's what remained in my thoughts since it was actually never done, had never been performed prior to." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it certainly never entered my thoughts that he would rush a ball back for a touchdown. It truly didn't. I have actually possessed 2 of all of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Veggie Gulf Packers large receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he functioned it back for a goal. So it took place to me before, yet at no time was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually mosting likely to happen again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Hall of FameThe Hall of Prominence Video Game in between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be actually aired on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of plays that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney puts spin on heritage u2022 Mongo's fight, quest to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't horrendous when our team performed it. I presumed, our team'll put him in the edge, our company'll attack him inside the 25 and also our company'll feel pretty good about ourselves. Which is actually not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that visited of my mouth [when he observed the round headed his means] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and ran up area to the twenty. The closest a Colts defender would certainly come to addressing him was safety and security Marlin Jackson, who was inches off of Hester, that increased off of his grasp. The Bears' block including Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid generated a void for Hester to blast past the first wave of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Bowl logo as well as started running parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made the cut to the middle of the field, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he carried out. He eluded everybody every time he did that. The center of the industry was golden for Devin. They really did not want to kick it down the center to Devin, however they apparently were actually considering it a lot of, and if you assume you're trumped. If they boot it down the middle of the field, I understood he was visiting score." I always kept discussing him being in his yard [on the show] I feel I pointed out, 'Coming from Riviera Coastline to the greatest stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually ludicrous.'" Harris: "I always remember hitting a person, it was actually probably around the little Super Dish logo. I chipped this fella and kind of saw [Devin] showing off by. And also when I reversed and I found he was actually out plus all the Colts white colored shirts chasing him, I mentioned, 'Okay, I've got to go fulfill him.' So I just removed on a dead sprint given that I understood he was racking up." Vinatieri: "As soon as he surpassed our very first surge of fellas, at that point our company have a protection on each edge and also me in the middle. I recognized I was as well far from him. If I could possibly receive close good enough to him to a minimum of slow-moving him down, maybe the search could possibly reach him. However he outwited the piss out of me, also. That is actually things regarding Devin. When he possesses a little of area, with that said vision, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 backyards for a touchdown along with the opening first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove as well as didn't touch him at all, I felt like 'damn.' It is actually amusing since after one play, my jersey is dirtier than anybody's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually too much open field, so I recognized right then and also there [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a circumstance where I was affixed to a sideline and also possessed the side project working against me. Our team remained in the available field, so I recognized he wasn't going to acquire me." Joniak: "I don't forget [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and also Devin looked up. I was actually thinking about why he was looking up later on to learn that he was actually taking a look at himself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and simply stumbled him up and also he detected completion region for the goal." The Bears' momentum would continue on the next drive as they opened a 14-6 top, yet the Colts took command in the second sector for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company started the activity along with a goal and also our company assumed it was actually heading to be actually an ass-whipping. Actually didn't wind up this way, even though our company visited and our team obtained a selection right after that, too. We believed our team had all type of energy at that point and after that certainly it wound up switching on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I believe the the main thing concerning that was it was actually the 1st play of the activity. That actually operated in our perk due to the fact that if it was anything behind that, like in in the 4th quarter, it will be like, 'Oh my The lord!' It would certainly be a difficult thing to recover from." Yet our company had 4 quarters to recuperate as well as put that responsible for us. So, for us it was type of like, 'Okay, our team made an effort. Embarassment on our team and afterwards our experts can maintain it moving now.' Since in the end, we understood offensively we were heading to record greater than seven factors, as well as I knew defensively we were actually going to maintain all of them from recording." Vinatieri: "Their whole crew is fired up and also delighted. Currently when they begin to our team, their defense is mosting likely to be actually happening a million kilometers an hour due to the fact that the drive is already on their edge ... but the simple fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 moments left behind in the game, we understood it had not been over whatsoever. Our experts felt in one's bones that this is actually the individual that will ravage the game for us if we don't prevent that. And certainly merely checking out that very first play was evidence of that. Permit's certainly not boot him an additional sphere." Gilmore: "They obtained smart and determined to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed 2 yields because game. That's what happens when Devin takes the position kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner contributed to this record.