.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Personnel WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, originally dealing with the Minnesota Vikings prior to changing to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a regular panelist on Around the Horn and also range of Best Week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She recently operated at the San Jose Mercury News as an interactives media sports journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester returned to his native South Fla for the greatest activity of his lifestyle in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was actually well on his method to becoming the most effective gain professional in NFL history.The former second-round selection, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually made first-team All-Pro awareness as well as Pro Dish honors due to the time the Bears evolved to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a profession- and also league-high 47 punts along with 3 leading to goals in 2006. He likewise returned two firsts for goals and also racked up after coming back an overlooked basket 108 lawns versus the New York Giants.The Colts possessed lots of movie to research as they prepared for Chicago's many dangerous item. They had actually viewed Hester manage a punt back 83 gardens for the go-ahead touchdown to cover off a 20-point comeback win over the Cardinals. They saw him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the same activity to notch first yield touchdowns of 94 and also 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the coin shake inside a stormy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens as well as elected to get, 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 dealt with Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' end zone, 92 gardens away, all while enjoying himself on the videoboard as he recorded the only TD gain of an opening kickoff in Super Bowl history.The disappointment coming from an eventual 29-17 reduction to the Colts did little to fade the play that complements Hester's Venue of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will certainly be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the first gamer elected to the Pro Regulation Football Hall of Prominence initially as a zing returner a gamer that stimulated among the best famous seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester really began the Super Dish along with a residence telephone call Among the greatest zing returners ever before switches 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For two weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually created a tactical plan for Hester that hinged on him certainly not touching the ball. While the Bears' unique crews devices were actually the best eruptive in the organization, the Colts placed 30th in kickoff coverage and also 32nd in punt protection. Here is how that plan ultimately accepted among one of the most thrilling plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective side: "They weren't an unsafe offensive group. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. However protection, profits, they had the most ideal unique crews system in the NFL. Bar none. As well as the very best returner, probably in NFL record." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "Our experts were actually booting to the corners, our experts're bouncing the round, our team are actually squibbing it, our team are actually punting higher, or even our team're punting out of bounds. We claimed, 'He is actually not heading to be an aspect. Our team believe our company can control their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his returns for touchdowns were puntings, not always kickoffs [Hester came back three punts and also two firsts for TDs in 2006] We knew for certain the strategy was do not punt the round to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 yards, forty five lawns, out of bounds. Sacrifice some proximity however carry out not let him receive the round in his palms." Our team considered it the various other way as well as really did not desire to give up a lot of yardage on kickoff things, therefore given that our experts've got a couple of our beginners therein, let's make an effort to pin him in a corner as well as view if our experts may overload that side and try to decrease his return. Our company exercised that all week long. It had not been even like we were actually paniced to boot a touchback. We were more worried concerning hitting it over in the edge, and also if he captures it at the 2- or even 3-yard line yet it's truly near the sideline, then our team can attempt to package him in a little bit." Reid: "The tactical plan was we are actually not going to kick to him. He's as well risky." Times prior to the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "Some of our pastors offered a church solution before the game and talked about David as well as Giant as well as claimed, 'The reason David succeeded is he had not been terrified. All the various other Israelites were afraid of Giant.' So I began believing, am I placing concern into our individuals' hearts? Am I playing this wrong? Our company can not fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as startled as any individual that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the storm fell, Hester took the take it easy and also brought in background. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I transformed my mind and also mentioned if our experts lose the shake, our company're mosting likely to kick off. Our experts're going to boot it to him, as well as I wish you to go down and pound him. As well as when our team take their champion down, that is actually going to send out a notification similar to David." I referred to it along with Russ Purnell, our special teams train, and of course he mentioned we may cover, our company may do this. Our team'll receive him in the Super Bowl. Everybody desires to have their moment. No one desires to head out certainly there and also merely say, 'Hey, our team weren't aspect of this, or even we really did not assist.' So it was actually mutual, however in the end of the day, it was my selection." Reid: "2 or three days just before the activity I rallied the people to encourage Coach Dungy. I claimed, 'Our team can manage him. Our team'll be alright.' You could inform [Dungy] felt uneasy about performing it, however he's like: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique groups planner: "Every activity that our company had, it was consistently a concern of who is actually visiting kick to him, who isn't going to kick to him. We understood that they had referred to certainly not kicking to him, yet we constantly assumed as a staff that they were heading to kick to our team in the Super Bowl just because it's the Super Dish." That's what I told them Saturday evening. I claimed, 'They are actually heading to kick the ball right to us.'" An unforeseen tornado moved right into the Miami area on video game day as well as discarded virtually one in of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 seen Hester as well as the Bears kickoff gain crew trot onto the industry to acquire the opening kick following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a newbie, his assurance when he took the field was actually unbelievable. Our team took a great deal of pleasure in shutting out for him. Special staffs had not been a task. It didn't seem like you were actually being actually disciplined for certainly not being a starter. At any time you tromped the industry along with him in the return video game, it felt like, 'Man, we can take it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears security: "This is pre-smartphones. I keep in mind finding all these flashes hit when the sphere is being kicked off. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Ending to the video game coming from the storage locker area felt unique. I have actually never really felt anything like it. It resembled the motion pictures. There were actually Roman candle lights being actually shot up plus all the cinders were boiling down in slow mo. It entirely possessed me badgered out. I got to the sideline and it resembled, 'Whoa, what only happened?' And after that our team succeed the piece shake as well as our company are actually acquiring. Talk about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears tools supervisor: "I claimed if it enters completion zone, receive that reception for him. That's what resided in my thoughts due to the fact that it was actually certainly never performed, had actually never ever been actually carried out prior to." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it never entered my mind that he will jog a ball back for a goal. It actually didn't. I've had 2 of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Environment-friendly Gulf Packers wide receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and also he functioned it back for a goal. So it occurred to me just before, yet at no opportunity was I thinking, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually heading to take place once more.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Hall of FameThe Hall of Popularity Game between the Bears as well as Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be actually televised on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 participates in that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney puts spin on heritage u2022 Mongo's battle, adventure to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't horrendous when our team did it. I assumed, our team'll place him in the edge, our company'll attack him inside the 25 as well as our company'll experience pretty good about our own selves. And also's absolutely not what took place." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that showed up of my oral cavity [when he saw the ball moved his technique] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and also raised area to the 20. The closest a Colts protector would certainly come to tackling him was actually safety and security Marlin Jackson, that was actually inches out of Hester, who accelerated away from his understanding. The Bears' wedge featuring Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid produced a space for Hester to blow past the very first surge of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Dish company logo and started running alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the field, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he did. He beat everyone every single time he did that. The middle of the field was actually golden for Devin. They didn't desire to kick it down the center to Devin, but they seemingly were actually considering it excessive, and if you presume you're defeated. If they kick it down the center of the field, I understood he was actually heading to credit rating." I maintained talking about him being in his lawn [on the broadcast] I feel I said, 'Coming from Riviera Beach front to the largest stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are absurd.'" Harris: "I don't forget striking a person, it was probably around the little Super Dish company logo. I broke this man and sort of saw [Devin] showing off by. As well as when I reversed as well as I saw he was out plus all the Colts white jackets chasing him, I claimed, 'Okay, I've got to go satisfy him.' So I merely took off on a dead sprint due to the fact that I recognized he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "Once he got past our initial surge of guys, then we have a security on each side as well as me in between. I recognized I was actually too far from him. If I could possibly obtain close sufficient to him to at the very least slow-moving him down, perhaps the pursuit could possibly reach him. However he outwited the piss out of me, too. That is actually the many things concerning Devin. When he possesses a small amount of area, keeping that dream, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 yards for a goal along with the position kickoff in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and also didn't touch him in any way, I felt like 'damn.' It's funny because after one play, my jacket is dirtier than anybody's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually excessive open industry, so I knew correct after that and there certainly [after Vinatieri's attempt] It had not been a condition where I was pinned to a side project as well as had the sideline antagonizing me. Our experts resided in the available field, so I understood he wasn't going to get me." Joniak: "I remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down as well as Devin sought out. I was actually asking yourself why he was looking up later on to discover that he was actually examining himself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him and also merely slipped him up and also he detected the end zone for the touchdown." The Bears' energy would certainly continue the next drive as they opened up a 14-6 lead, however the Colts took management in the 2nd zone for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts began the video game with a touchdown and our company believed it was actually visiting be an ass-whipping. Really failed to wind up by doing this, even though our experts visited and also our team received a selection right afterwards, too. Our company believed we had all type of drive then and then obviously it ended up moving on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive end: "I assume the one point concerning that was it was actually the 1st play of the game. That actually worked in our perk due to the fact that if it was just about anything later than that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it will resemble, 'Oh my God!' It will be a difficult point to recoup from." However our company possessed 4 one-fourths to recuperate and also place that responsible for our team. Therefore, for us it was sort of like, 'Okay, we made an effort. Pity on our team and then our company can maintain it moving now.' Given that ultimately, we understood offensively our company were actually visiting record greater than seven aspects, as well as I knew defensively our company were actually going to keep them coming from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their entire group is fired up as well as excited. Now when they begin to our team, their defense is heading to be coming a million kilometers an hour because the drive is actually actually on their edge ... but the simple fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 moments left behind in the video game, we knew it wasn't over whatsoever. Our experts just knew that this is actually the person that will definitely wreck the game for our company if our team don't stop that. And certainly merely checking out that very first play was actually proof of that. Permit's not kick him another round." Gilmore: "They acquired wise and also decided to kick it to John Gilmore. I had two gains during that game. That's what happens when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Owner brought about this record.