.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally dealing with the Minnesota Vikings prior to switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a recurring panelist on Around the Horn and host of Utmost Week Ever Before on ESPN Radio. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She recently worked at the San Jose Mercury Information as a mixeds media sports journalist.By the time Devin Hester returned to his native South Florida for the largest video game of his lifestyle in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was effectively on his method to coming to be the most ideal yield professional in NFL history.The previous second-round selection, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had already gotten first-team All-Pro acknowledgment and also Pro Dish respects by the opportunity the Bears accelerated to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a profession- and league-high 47 puntings along with 3 leading to touchdowns in 2006. He also returned pair of firsts for goals and racked up after returning a missed basket 108 lawns versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts had lots of movie to analyze as they planned for Chicago's most hazardous weapon. They had found Hester operate a punt back 83 lawns for the consent touchdown to top off a 20-point resurgence get the Cardinals. They watched him rip past the St. Louis Rams two times in the same game to scratch first return goals of 94 and 96 yards, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece toss inside a rainy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and also chosen to obtain, the Colts sent the position first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 few seconds to dash from where he handled Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' end line, 92 backyards away, all while enjoying themself on the videoboard as he taped the only TD yield of a position first in Super Dish history.The frustration coming from an eventual 29-17 reduction to the Colts carried out little bit of to fade the play that draws attention to Hester's Hall of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect will be actually preserved in Canton this weekend as the 1st player selected to the Pro Soccer Venue of Fame primarily as a zing returner a gamer who stimulated one of the best well-known minutes in NFL history.Devin Hester definitely started the Super Dish with a residence telephone call Among the greatest zing returners ever transforms 40 today.( via @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For two weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually come up with a game plan for Hester that hinged on him not touching the round. While the Bears' exclusive staffs systems were the best eruptive in the organization, the Colts ranked 30th in kickoff insurance coverage as well as 32nd in punt protection. Listed here is actually just how that planning essentially yielded to one of one of the most fantastic plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective side: "They weren't a harmful offensive group. They had [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet insurance coverage, profits, they had the best exclusive groups device in the NFL. Bar none. As well as the very best returner, most likely in NFL record." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "Our company were kicking to the edges, our team are actually hopping the ball, our team are actually squibbing it, our team're punting high, or even we're punting away from bounds. We mentioned, 'He's not mosting likely to be actually an element. Our experts presume we can regulate their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Most of his come backs for touchdowns were punts, certainly not essentially kickoffs [Hester returned three punts as well as 2 kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood for certain the tactical plan was don't punt the ball to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 backyards, 45 lawns, away from bounds. Compromise some distance however perform certainly not let him get the ball in his hands." Our experts thought about it the various other means and also didn't wish to sacrifice a ton of yardage on first stuff, therefore given that our company have actually obtained a number of our beginners therein, permit's make an effort to affix him behind-the-scenes and also see if our experts can easily overload that edge and also attempt to decrease his return. We practiced that all week long. It wasn't also like our team were actually paniced to boot a touchback. We were more concerned about striking it over in the corner, as well as if he records it at the 2- or even 3-yard line but it's really near to the sideline, after that our team could try to carton him in a small amount." Reid: "The tactical plan was our team are actually not mosting likely to kick to him. He's as well dangerous." Days prior to the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "One of our chaplains provided a church company before the game and also discussed David as well as Giant as well as mentioned, 'The explanation David prospered is he had not been frightened. All the various other Israelites were afraid of Giant.' So I started believing, am I placing anxiety in to our individuals' centers? Am I playing this wrong? We can't hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as stunned as any individual that the Colts were stopping to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the storm became, Hester took the settle back and also created past history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I altered my mind as well as said if we drop the throw, we are actually heading to begin. Our team're heading to boot it to him, as well as I prefer you to decrease and also extra pound him. And also when our company take their champion down, that is actually going to send out a notification just like David." I referred to it along with Russ Purnell, our unique staffs instructor, and also of course he said our experts can easily cover, our experts can do this. We'll obtain him in the Super Bowl. Everybody wants to have their instant. No one wishes to go out certainly there and also only state, 'Hey, we weren't portion of this, or our company didn't contribute.' So it was actually reciprocal, yet in the end of the day, it was my decision." Reid: "2 or three days prior to the video game I moved the men to persuade Coach Dungy. I mentioned, 'Our team can easily manage him. We'll be actually fine.' You might say to [Dungy] worried regarding doing it, yet he feels like: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique groups coordinator: "Every game that we had, it was constantly a concern of who's visiting boot to him, who isn't visiting boot to him. We knew that they had actually discussed certainly not kicking to him, but we consistently presumed as a personnel that they were visiting boot to our team in the Super Dish just because it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I informed all of them Saturday evening. I pointed out, 'They're going to boot the round right to us.'" An unanticipated hurricane moved in to the Miami region on activity time as well as poured virtually one in of rain over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 enjoyed Hester and also the Bears kickoff profit staff trot onto the field to obtain the opening kick just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a newbie, his self-confidence when he took the field was unreal. Our team took a considerable amount of pleasure in shutting out for him. Special crews wasn't a task. It really did not seem like you were actually being disciplined for certainly not being actually a starter. Whenever you tromped the industry with him in the return video game, it felt like, 'Male, our experts may take it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is pre-smartphones. I bear in mind viewing all these flashes click when the sphere is being started. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Running out to the video game from the closet area felt surreal. I've never felt everything like it. It felt like the flicks. There were Classical candlesticks being shot up plus all the ashes were actually boiling down in slow motion. It entirely possessed me badgered out. I came to the subsidiary as well as it was like, 'Whoa, what just happened?' And then we gain the coin throw as well as our experts are actually getting. Discuss an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment manager: "I stated if it enters completion region, obtain that reception for him. That's what resided in my thoughts because it was actually never done, had never ever been actually done before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it certainly never entered my thoughts that he will dash a sphere back for a touchdown. It really didn't. I have actually had 2 of them in Super Dishes. I booted one to [Environment-friendly Bay Packers broad receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he operated it back for a goal. So it occurred to me before, but at no opportunity was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it's going to happen once more.' 2024 Pro Soccer Hall of FameThe Venue of Popularity Video Game in between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be actually televised on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of participates in that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney places spin on heritage u2022 Mongo's fight, experience to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I had not been fearful when our experts did it. I presumed, our team'll place him in the corner, our company'll tackle him inside the 25 and also our experts'll really feel respectable about ourselves. And that's never what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that visited of my oral cavity [when he observed the sphere headed his means] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and also ran up area to the 20. The closest a Colts protector will come to tackling him was security Marlin Jackson, who was actually ins out of Hester, who increased out of his understanding. The Bears' wedge featuring Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid produced a void for Hester to blow past the 1st wave of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish logo as well as began sprinting alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the industry, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he performed. He beat everyone each time he did that. The center of the field was actually gold for Devin. They failed to wish to kick it down the mid to Devin, but they seemingly were actually thinking about it excessive, and also if you think you're beat. If they boot it down the middle of the industry, I knew he was actually mosting likely to credit rating." I always kept speaking about him remaining in his lawn [on the program] I feel I said, 'Coming from Riviera Seashore to the largest phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually ridiculous.'" Harris: "I don't forget hitting a fella, it was actually perhaps around the little bit of Super Dish logo design. I chipped this man as well as kind of saw [Devin] showing off through. And also when I reversed as well as I found he was out plus all the Colts white colored shirts chasing him, I mentioned, 'Okay, I have actually reached go satisfy him.' So I merely took off on a dead sprint given that I knew he was racking up." Vinatieri: "As soon as he surpassed our initial wave of individuals, then our team have a security on each edge and me in the center. I understood I was actually as well far away from him. If I might get close enough to him to at least sluggish him down, maybe the search can get to him. But he outwited the piss away from me, as well. That's the many things concerning Devin. When he possesses a small amount of area, keeping that sight, he is actually 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 plunged as well as failed to touch him in all, I felt like 'damn.' It's hilarious considering that after one play, my jacket is actually dirtier than anybody's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was excessive available field, so I recognized ideal after that and there [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a scenario where I was affixed to a subsidiary and also possessed the subsidiary working against me. Our team resided in the open area, so I understood he had not been going to receive me." Joniak: "I don't forget [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and also Devin found. I was actually thinking about why he was searching for later to discover that he was actually taking a look at themself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him and also just slipped him up as well as he detected completion zone for the goal." The Bears' energy will advance the following drive as they opened up a 14-6 top, but the Colts took management in the second quarter for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts began the video game along with a touchdown as well as our team thought it was actually mosting likely to be actually an ass-whipping. Actually didn't wind up by doing this, even though our experts came out as well as our experts acquired a choice right afterwards, very. Our company thought our company had all kinds of energy then and after that certainly it found yourself shifting on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I believe the the main thing concerning that was it was the very first play of the game. That really functioned in our perk given that if it was anything beyond that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would certainly be like, 'Oh my The lord!' It would certainly be a challenging factor to recover coming from." However our company had four quarters to recover and place that responsible for our team. Therefore, for us it was sort of like, 'Okay, our team tried. Embarassment on our company and afterwards our experts may keep it moving now.' Considering that in the long run, we understood offensively our experts were actually visiting rack up greater than 7 factors, and I understood defensively we were mosting likely to maintain them from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire group is actually fired up and also delighted. Right now when they kick off to our team, their defense is actually visiting be happening a thousand miles an hour because the drive is actually actually on their edge ... however the reality that there was still 59 1/2 minutes left in the activity, we understood it wasn't over by any means. We just knew that this is actually the fella that will certainly trash the game for our team if our team don't avoid that. As well as definitely merely seeing that initial play was actually verification of that. Permit's certainly not kick him another round." Gilmore: "They obtained clever as well as determined to boot it to John Gilmore. I had two profits during that game. That's what takes place when Devin takes the opening first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner contributed to this record.