.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, actually dealing with the Minnesota Vikings before changing to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a constant panelist on Around the Horn as well as range of Best Week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She formerly operated at the San Jose Mercury News as a multimedia sporting activities journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester returned to his indigenous South Florida for the greatest activity of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was actually effectively on his way to becoming the most effective gain specialist in NFL history.The previous second-round pick, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had currently earned first-team All-Pro awareness and Pro Bowl tributes by the opportunity the Bears progressed to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a profession- as well as league-high 47 puntings along with 3 leading to touchdowns in 2006. He likewise returned pair of firsts for goals and also racked up after returning an overlooked basket 108 lawns versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts had plenty of movie to study as they prepared for Chicago's the majority of harmful tool. They had observed Hester manage a punt back 83 backyards for the go-ahead goal to top off a 20-point resurgence draw the Cardinals. They experienced him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the exact same game to mark kickoff gain touchdowns of 94 and also 96 lawns, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece toss inside a rainy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and also elected to get, the Colts sent the opening first right into Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 few seconds to run where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal, 92 gardens away, all while viewing themself on the videoboard as he recorded the only TD return of an opening kickoff in Super Dish history.The frustration coming from a possible 29-17 loss to the Colts did little to fade the play that emphasizes Hester's Venue of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will be preserved in Canton this weekend break as the first player chosen to the Pro Football Hall of Fame first and foremost as a zing returner a player who triggered one of the most famous seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester definitely began the Super Bowl along with a residence call Among the best zing returners ever switches 40 today.( using @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 crafted a game plan for Hester that focused on him not touching the sphere. While the Bears' special crews systems were the best explosive in the game, the Colts ranked 30th in first protection and also 32nd in punt protection. Listed below is actually exactly how that plan essentially accepted among the most interesting plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a hazardous aggressive crew. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet insurance coverage, return, they had the best special crews unit in the NFL. Club none. And also the most effective returner, most likely in NFL past." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "We were booting to the corners, our company are actually bouncing the round, our company are actually squibbing it, we're punting high, or even our experts're punting out of bounds. Our team claimed, 'He is actually certainly not mosting likely to be actually a factor. We assume our experts can control their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his returns for touchdowns were actually punts, not automatically kickoffs [Hester came back three puntings and 2 firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood without a doubt the strategic plan was actually don't punt the ball to him. Attempt to punt it 40 yards, forty five lawns, away from bounds. Lose some range however perform certainly not permit him get the sphere in his hands." Our experts thought about it the various other means and didn't intend to sacrifice a lots of yardage on first stuff, so due to the fact that our team've received a couple of our starters in there, let's attempt to pin him in a corner and find if our experts can easily overload that side and also attempt to minimize his gain. Our team performed that all full week long. It had not been also like our company were stressed to kick a touchback. We were more interested concerning attacking it over in the section, and if he captures it at the 2- or even 3-yard line however it's definitely near the side project, after that our team could attempt to box him in a little bit." Reid: "The strategic plan was we are actually not heading to kick to him. He is actually also risky." Times before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy modified his mind.Dungy: "Some of our pastors gave a chapel solution before the activity and also spoke about David and also Goliath and also pointed out, 'The explanation David achieved success is he wasn't afraid. All the various other Israelites feared of Giant.' So I began believing, am I placing concern into our individuals' hearts? Am I playing this wrong? Our experts can't be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as shocked as any individual that the Colts were actually stopping to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the take it easy and also brought in history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I changed my thoughts as well as mentioned if our team shed the throw, we're heading to kick off. Our experts're visiting boot it to him, and also I desire you to go down and pound him. And when we take their champion down, that is actually going to deliver a notification much like David." I spoke about it along with Russ Purnell, our special staffs trainer, and also naturally he stated we may cover, we may do this. Our company'll obtain him in the Super Bowl. Everyone wants to have their minute. No person wishes to head out there certainly and merely mention, 'Hey, our team weren't portion of this, or even our company really did not contribute.' So it was shared, yet in the end of the time, it was my selection." Reid: "Pair of or even three times just before the game I moved the guys to entice Coach Dungy. I mentioned, 'Our experts may handle him. Our company'll be fine.' You could tell [Dungy] regreted regarding performing it, but he's like: 'OK, I trust you guys.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive staffs planner: "Every game that our team had, it was consistently an inquiry of who's visiting kick to him, who isn't going to kick to him. We knew that they had actually spoken about certainly not booting to him, yet our company regularly thought as a workers that they were actually visiting boot to us in the Super Dish just because it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I informed them Sunday evening. I said, 'They're mosting likely to boot the sphere right to our company.'" An unforeseen tornado relocated right into the Miami place on video game time as well as dumped virtually one inch of storm over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the night. A crowd of 74,512 viewed Hester and the Bears kickoff profit staff trot onto the field to obtain the position kick just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a rookie, his self-confidence when he took the field was unreal. Our experts took a lot of honor in obstructing for him. Exclusive crews had not been a duty. It failed to feel like you were actually being penalized for not being actually a starter. At any time you tromped the industry along with him in the profit activity, it felt like, 'Guy, our team can easily take it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I keep in mind seeing all these flashes click when the ball is being began. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Going out to the game from the locker space felt surreal. I've never experienced anything like it. It resembled the flicks. There were Roman candle lights being soared and all the cinders were actually coming down in funeral pace. It completely possessed me bugged out. I reached the subsidiary as well as it felt like, 'Whoa, what only happened?' And then our experts win the coin toss and our company're acquiring. Refer to an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears tools supervisor: "I said if it goes in completion area, obtain that reception for him. That's what remained in my thoughts due to the fact that it was certainly never performed, had never ever been done before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it never entered my thoughts that he would certainly run a ball back for a goal. It really didn't. I have actually had 2 of them in Super Containers. I kicked one to [Eco-friendly Bay Packers wide receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] and also he functioned it back for a goal. So it took place to me before, but at no opportunity was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually mosting likely to occur once again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Venue of FameThe Hall of Popularity Video Game in between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be actually telecasted on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of participates in that determine Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney places spin on tradition u2022 Mongo's match, experience to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been fearful when we did it. I believed, our team'll put him in the corner, our experts'll attack him inside the 25 as well as our experts'll experience good concerning our own selves. And also's absolutely not what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that showed up of my mouth [when he observed the round moved his way] were actually 'Holy s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and ran up field to the 20. The closest a Colts defender will get to handling him was security Marlin Jackson, who was actually ins far from Hester, who sped up away from his realization. The Bears' block consisting of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid produced a space for Hester to blast past the 1st surge of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Bowl logo design and began running alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the area, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he performed. He eluded everyone each time he carried out that. The center of the area was actually golden for Devin. They failed to wish to boot it down the center to Devin, yet they seemingly were dealing with it way too much, as well as if you think you're beat. If they kick it down the center of the field, I recognized he was actually visiting credit rating." I always kept discussing him residing in his lawn [on the show] I feel I said, 'From Riviera Seaside to the biggest phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually ridiculous.'" Harris: "I keep in mind striking a man, it was probably around the little bit of Super Dish logo. I damaged this man and also type of saw [Devin] flashing by. As well as when I shifted and also I observed he was actually out plus all the Colts white jerseys chasing him, I stated, 'Okay, I've come to go fulfill him.' So I merely took off on a dead sprint considering that I recognized he was racking up." Vinatieri: "When he surpassed our initial wave of men, after that our experts have a security on each side as well as me in the center. I understood I was actually as well far from him. If I can get close good enough to him to a minimum of slow-moving him down, possibly the quest might get to him. Yet he juked the piss away from me, too. That's things concerning Devin. When he has a bit of space, with that said vision, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 backyards for a touchdown along with the position first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and also failed to touch him whatsoever, I felt like 'damn.' It is actually comical since after one play, my shirt is dirtier than any person's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually a lot of open area, so I knew correct after that and also certainly there [after Vinatieri's try] It had not been a condition where I was affixed to a subsidiary and possessed the side project antagonizing me. Our experts were in the open industry, so I recognized he wasn't going to get me." Joniak: "I always remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and also Devin looked up. I was thinking about why he was seeking out later to find out that he was examining himself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him as well as only tripped him up and also he detected completion region for the touchdown." The Bears' drive would continue on the following drive as they opened up a 14-6 top, yet the Colts took management in the second quarter for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts began the video game along with a goal as well as our company thought it was going to be actually an ass-whipping. Truly failed to wind up this way, despite the fact that we came out and also our experts got a pick right afterwards, extremely. Our team assumed our team had all type of drive at that point and after that clearly it wound up shifting on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I presume the one thing regarding that was it was the first play of the activity. That actually operated in our benefit considering that if it was actually everything later than that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would feel like, 'Oh my God!' It would certainly be actually a challenging thing to bounce back from." However our team possessed 4 fourths to bounce back and put that behind our company. Therefore, for us it was actually type of like, 'Okay, our company tried. Pity on us and after that our experts can easily keep it moving currently.' Because in the long run, we knew offensively our experts were actually heading to count more than seven factors, as well as I recognized defensively we were actually going to keep all of them from recording." Vinatieri: "Their whole group is fired up as well as thrilled. Now when they start to our team, their defense is visiting be actually coming a thousand miles an hour considering that the energy is presently on their side ... yet the fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 moments left behind in the activity, we understood it had not been over whatsoever. Our experts just knew that this is the person that is going to trash the game for our team if our company do not stop that. And also clearly only seeing that very first play was verification of that. Allow's certainly not kick him yet another round." Gilmore: "They received smart and made a decision to kick it to John Gilmore. I had 2 gains in that video game. That's what takes place when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder helped in this report.