.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Personnel WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, originally dealing with the Minnesota Vikings just before shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a constant panelist on Around the Horn and hold of Utmost Full week Ever Before on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She formerly worked at the San Jose Mercury Information as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester returned to his native South Florida for the most significant game of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was properly on his method to becoming the best gain expert in NFL history.The former second-round choice, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually presently earned first-team All-Pro recognition and Pro Dish honors by the time the Bears advanced to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a career- and league-high 47 punts with 3 resulting in touchdowns in 2006. He likewise came back pair of firsts for goals and also scored after returning an overlooked basket 108 lawns versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts had plenty of film to analyze as they organized Chicago's the majority of unsafe item. They had found Hester manage a punt back 83 backyards for the consent goal to cap off a 20-point revival draw the Cardinals. They watched him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the same game to notch first profit goals of 94 and also 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the piece toss inside a wet Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens and elected to get, the Colts delivered the opening first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 secs to run where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal line, 92 backyards away, all while seeing themself on the videoboard as he taped the only TD gain of a position first in Super Dish history.The letdown from a resulting 29-17 reduction to the Colts performed little bit of to vanish the play that emphasizes Hester's Hall of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect is going to be enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the very first gamer selected to the Pro Football Venue of Popularity primarily as a kick returner a player who triggered some of the best legendary seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester definitely began the Super Dish with a house phone call Some of the best zing returners ever before turns 40 today.( through @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For two weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had crafted a strategic plan for Hester that revolved around him certainly not touching the ball. While the Bears' unique teams devices were actually the absolute most eruptive in the organization, the Colts placed 30th in first protection and also 32nd in punt protection. Below is just how that planning ultimately yielded to one of one of the most fantastic plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a dangerous aggressive group. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. But protection, come back, they possessed the very best exclusive groups system in the NFL. Bar none. And the greatest returner, perhaps in NFL background." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "We were actually booting to the corners, our company are actually bouncing the round, our company're squibbing it, we are actually punting higher, or our experts are actually punting out of bounds. Our company pointed out, 'He's not visiting be actually an element. Our team presume our experts can easily handle their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his profits for touchdowns were actually puntings, certainly not always kickoffs [Hester returned three puntings as well as two kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew for certain the game plan was actually do not punt the round to him. Try to punt it 40 backyards, forty five gardens, away from bounds. Lose some distance however do certainly not permit him acquire the ball in his palms." Our company thought about it the other way as well as didn't wish to sacrifice a lot of yardage on first things, therefore since our company've acquired a number of our beginners in there, allow's attempt to pin him behind-the-scenes and also view if our company can overload that side and attempt to decrease his yield. Our company practiced that all week long. It had not been also like our company were actually fretted to kick a touchback. Our experts were more anxious concerning attacking it over in the corner, and also if he catches it at the 2- or even 3-yard pipe yet it's actually near to the subsidiary, then our team can attempt to carton him in a little." Reid: "The tactical plan was our team're not visiting kick to him. He is actually as well unsafe." Times just before the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "Among our chaplains provided a chapel company before the game as well as spoke about David and also Giant and said, 'The main reason David prospered is he had not been afraid. All the various other Israelites hesitated of Goliath.' So I began assuming, am I putting fear right into our individuals' centers? Am I playing this inappropriate? Our experts can not fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as pleasantly surprised as any person that the Colts were actually stopping to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the rainfall fell, Hester took the sit back and also created background. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I transformed my mind and claimed if our experts shed the throw, we are actually visiting begin. Our experts're visiting boot it to him, and I want you to drop and also extra pound him. And also when we take their champ down, that is actually heading to deliver a message similar to David." I discussed it along with Russ Purnell, our exclusive crews instructor, as well as of course he said we may deal with, we can possibly do this. Our company'll receive him in the Super Dish. Everybody desires to have their moment. No person desires to walk out certainly there as well as simply claim, 'Hey, we weren't part of this, or our team didn't assist.' So it was actually mutual, yet by the end of the day, it was my decision." Reid: "Pair of or even 3 times prior to the video game I rallied the guys to entice Train Dungy. I pointed out, 'Our experts may handle him. Our company'll be actually fine.' You might tell [Dungy] felt uneasy about performing it, yet he feels like: 'OK, I trust you people.'" Dave Toub, Bears special groups coordinator: "Every game that our team possessed, it was constantly a concern of that's visiting boot to him, who isn't heading to kick to him. We understood that they had referred to certainly not booting to him, but our experts consistently supposed as a team that they were going to boot to our company in the Super Bowl just because it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I told all of them Sunday evening. I stated, 'They're visiting boot the ball right to us.'" An unforeseen hurricane relocated into the Miami region on activity time and unloaded almost one in of storm over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 enjoyed Hester as well as the Bears first return team trot onto the area to obtain the position zing after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a rookie, his confidence when he took the area was unreal. Our team took a considerable amount of honor in blocking for him. Exclusive groups had not been a job. It failed to think that you were actually being actually disciplined for certainly not being a starter. At any time you stepped on the field with him in the profit video game, it resembled, 'Male, our team can easily get it to our home.'" Chris Harris, Bears security: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I don't forget viewing all these flashes click when the ball is being began. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Running out to the activity coming from the storage locker room experienced unique. I have actually never ever experienced anything like it. It felt like the films. There were actually Classical candle lights being soared plus all the embers were boiling down in slow motion. It totally possessed me annoyed out. I reached the sideline and it was like, 'Whoa, what simply occurred?' And then our team succeed the coin throw and also we're getting. Speak about an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears tools supervisor: "I mentioned if it uses the end zone, obtain that reception for him. That's what remained in my mind given that it was actually never performed, had never ever been done prior to." Vinatieri: "Honestly it certainly never entered my mind that he would certainly dash a round back for a goal. It truly failed to. I have actually had two of all of them in Super Containers. I kicked one to [Green Gulf Packers large receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] and also he worked it back for a goal. So it happened to me prior to, yet at no opportunity was I thinking, 'Oh my gosh, it's visiting take place again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Venue of FameThe Venue of Fame Activity between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be actually telecasted on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 participates in that define Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney puts spin on tradition u2022 Mongo's match, journey to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't fearful when our team did it. I assumed, we'll put him in the corner, our team'll confront him inside the 25 and our team'll really feel decent about ourselves. And that's never what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that visited of my mouth [when he found the round headed his way] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line as well as added area to the twenty. The closest a Colts protector would come to handling him was actually safety and security Marlin Jackson, that was inches off of Hester, who increased away from his realization. The Bears' wedge being composed of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid produced a space for Hester to blast past the first surge of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Bowl logo design and also started sprinting parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the industry, I just knew it. That's what he performed. He outran everyone every time he did that. The middle of the field was gold for Devin. They failed to intend to boot it down the mid to Devin, however they apparently were actually considering it a lot of, and also if you believe you're defeated. If they boot it down the center of the field, I recognized he was actually going to rating." I kept talking about him remaining in his lawn [on the program] I feel I said, 'Coming from Riviera Seashore to the largest phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are actually preposterous.'" Harris: "I remember striking a man, it was actually possibly around the little Super Bowl logo. I broke this guy and sort of saw [Devin] showing off by. And also when I reversed and I viewed he was actually out plus all the Colts white jackets chasing him, I pointed out, 'Okay, I have actually reached go satisfy him.' So I only removed on a lifeless sprint given that I recognized he was scoring." Vinatieri: "Once he got past our 1st surge of fellas, at that point we possess a security on each edge and me between. I knew I was actually as well distant from him. If I could get close good enough to him to a minimum of sluggish him down, maybe the pursuit might come to him. But he outwited the piss out of me, as well. That is actually the thing about Devin. When he has a small amount of space, keeping that sight, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 yards for a touchdown along with the position kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and also didn't touch him in any way, I was like 'damn.' It is actually amusing since after one play, my jacket is dirtier than anyone's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was a lot of available industry, so I knew appropriate at that point and also there [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a scenario where I was pinned to a side project as well as had the side project working against me. Our team remained in the open area, so I knew he wasn't going to obtain me." Joniak: "I remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and also Devin sought out. I was wondering why he was actually finding later on to know that he was actually examining themself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him as well as simply stumbled him up and he tumbled into the end zone for the touchdown." The Bears' energy would certainly continue the following ride as they opened up a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took management in the second area for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our team started the game along with a touchdown and also we assumed it was actually visiting be actually an ass-whipping. Really didn't find yourself this way, although we appeared and our experts received a pick right after that, extremely. Our company believed our experts had all type of momentum at that point and afterwards certainly it wound up shifting on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive end: "I presume the the main thing concerning that was it was the first play of the video game. That really worked in our advantage because if it was actually anything later than that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it would be like, 'Oh my God!' It will be actually a tough factor to bounce back coming from." Yet we possessed four fourths to recover as well as put that behind our team. So, for our company it was actually kind of like, 'Okay, our team attempted. Pity on our team and then we may maintain it relocating right now.' Considering that in the end, we understood offensively our company were going to record much more than 7 points, as well as I understood defensively our company were going to keep them coming from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire group is ignited and excited. Right now when they kick off to our company, their protection is visiting be actually happening a million kilometers a hr considering that the momentum is actually already on their edge ... yet the reality that there was actually still 59 1/2 moments left behind in the game, we understood it wasn't over whatsoever. Our team felt in one's bones that this is actually the fella that will wreck the game for us if our team do not protect against that. And also obviously simply viewing that very first play was actually evidence of that. Allow's not kick him another round." Gilmore: "They acquired intelligent as well as chose to boot it to John Gilmore. I had two gains during that game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder helped in this report.