.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, initially dealing with the Minnesota Vikings before switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a constant panelist on Around the Horn and range of Utmost Full week Ever on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She recently operated at the San Jose Mercury Headlines as a mixeds media sports journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester went back to his indigenous South Fla for the most significant video game of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was actually well on his technique to ending up being the greatest return professional in NFL history.The former second-round selection, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually already made first-team All-Pro recognition and also Pro Dish respects due to the time the Bears evolved to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a job- as well as league-high 47 puntings with three causing goals in 2006. He additionally returned two firsts for goals as well as racked up after coming back an overlooked basket 108 lawns versus the New York Giants.The Colts had lots of film to examine as they planned for Chicago's the majority of harmful tool. They had found Hester run a punting back 83 gardens for the consent touchdown to top off a 20-point rebound draw the Cardinals. They experienced him rip past the St. Louis Rams two times in the same game to scratch kickoff yield touchdowns of 94 as well as 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the coin throw inside a stormy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens as well as selected to get, the Colts delivered the opening kickoff right in to Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 few seconds to run where he handled Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' goal line, 92 backyards away, all while enjoying themself on the videoboard as he recorded the only TD yield of a position kickoff in Super Dish history.The disappointment coming from an ultimate 29-17 loss to the Colts performed little to fade the play that highlights Hester's Hall of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will definitely be preserved in Canton this weekend as the very first gamer selected to the Pro Soccer Venue of Fame initially as a kick returner a player that sparked some of the absolute most iconic moments in NFL history.Devin Hester actually started the Super Bowl along with a property telephone call One of the best kick returners ever turns 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For pair of weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had come up with a strategic plan for Hester that revolved around him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' special teams systems were actually the most explosive in the league, the Colts ranked 30th in kickoff protection and 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Listed here is actually how that strategy inevitably yielded to some of the best impressive plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't an unsafe offensive staff. They had [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. However insurance coverage, come back, they possessed the most ideal exclusive teams unit in the NFL. Club none. As well as the most ideal returner, possibly in NFL background." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "Our team were actually booting to the sections, our team are actually bouncing the ball, our company are actually squibbing it, our company're punting high, or even our experts're punting away from bounds. We said, 'He is actually not visiting be actually a variable. We believe our team may regulate their offense.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his profits for goals were punts, not automatically kickoffs [Hester returned three punts and also two firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood without a doubt the game plan was don't punt the sphere to him. Attempt to punt it 40 lawns, 45 lawns, out of bounds. Sacrifice some range yet carry out not permit him get the round in his hands." Our team thought of it the various other method and also didn't desire to compromise a ton of yardage on first things, therefore due to the fact that our experts have actually received a number of our beginners therein, let's attempt to pin him in a corner and view if our company can easily overload that side as well as attempt to decrease his yield. Our experts exercised that all week long. It had not been also like our team were worried to kick a touchback. We were actually more worried about reaching it over in the edge, as well as if he records it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe but it's truly near the sideline, then our company can try to box him in a little." Reid: "The tactical plan was our experts are actually certainly not going to kick to him. He is actually also dangerous." Days prior to the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "Among our pastors provided a church solution prior to the video game as well as talked about David and also Goliath and also mentioned, 'The reason David succeeded is he wasn't terrified. All the other Israelites hesitated of Goliath.' So I started thinking, am I putting worry into our people' hearts? Am I playing this wrong? Our experts can not be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as startled as any person that the Colts were kicking to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the storm fell, Hester took the kick back and made background. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I transformed my mind and also stated if our team shed the shake, our experts're heading to start. We are actually going to boot it to him, and I want you to decrease and pound him. And also when we take their champ down, that's visiting send a message similar to David." I spoke about it along with Russ Purnell, our exclusive staffs coach, as well as of course he said our experts can deal with, we can possibly do this. We'll acquire him in the Super Dish. Everyone wants to have their instant. No one desires to go out certainly there and also only say, 'Hey, we weren't portion of this, or our team failed to support.' So it was actually shared, yet in the end of the day, it was my choice." Reid: "2 or 3 days before the activity I moved the guys to encourage Train Dungy. I mentioned, 'We can manage him. We'll be actually great.' You might say to [Dungy] regreted about doing it, yet he's like: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears special staffs organizer: "Every video game that our team possessed, it was actually always a concern of that's going to kick to him, that isn't mosting likely to boot to him. We knew that they had discussed certainly not booting to him, yet our company always supposed as a team that they were heading to kick to our company in the Super Bowl just because it's the Super Bowl." That's what I informed all of them Sunday night. I said, 'They are actually visiting boot the sphere right to our company.'" An unanticipated storm relocated into the Miami area on activity day as well as dumped virtually one inch of rain over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 viewed Hester as well as the Bears kickoff yield team trot onto the field to get the opening zing following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a novice, his assurance when he took the industry was unbelievable. Our experts took a lot of honor in blocking for him. Special staffs had not been a duty. It didn't seem like you were being punished for certainly not being a starter. Any time you stepped on the area along with him in the yield game, it resembled, 'Male, our team can take it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I keep in mind viewing all these flashes click on when the sphere is actually being started. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Ending to the game coming from the storage locker space really felt unique. I have actually never experienced everything like it. It resembled the motion pictures. There were actually Classical candles being actually skyrocketed plus all the cinders were actually boiling down in slow mo. It completely possessed me badgered out. I came to the subsidiary and it was like, 'Whoa, what just happened?' And after that we gain the piece toss and our company're getting. Refer to an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears tools manager: "I mentioned if it goes in the end zone, get that reception for him. That's what was in my thoughts given that it was certainly never done, had actually certainly never been actually carried out before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it certainly never entered my mind that he would rush a ball back for a touchdown. It definitely failed to. I've possessed 2 of all of them in Super Containers. I kicked one to [Veggie Gulf Packers large receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and he functioned it back for a goal. So it took place to me prior to, but at no time was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it's mosting likely to take place again.' 2024 Pro Football Hall of FameThe Hall of Fame Activity between the Bears as well as Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be actually aired on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two plays that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney places spin on tradition u2022 Mongo's fight, adventure to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't fearful when our company did it. I assumed, our experts'll place him in the corner, we'll attack him inside the 25 and our experts'll experience respectable about ourselves. And that's never what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that came out of my mouth [when he viewed the sphere headed his technique] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and also raised industry to the twenty. The closest a Colts protector will reach tackling him was security Marlin Jackson, who was ins off of Hester, who sped up off of his understanding. The Bears' wedge featuring Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid developed a space for Hester to blow past the 1st surge of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Bowl logo as well as began running alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the area, I just knew it. That's what he did. He outran everybody whenever he carried out that. The middle of the industry was actually golden for Devin. They didn't wish to kick it down the mid to Devin, however they apparently were actually thinking about it too much, and if you assume you're defeated. If they kick it down the middle of the industry, I understood he was actually visiting score." I always kept speaking about him remaining in his garden [on the broadcast] I feel I pointed out, 'Coming from Riviera Beach to the most significant phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are outrageous.'" Harris: "I bear in mind reaching a man, it was possibly around the little bit of Super Dish logo. I broke this fella and also sort of saw [Devin] flashing by. And also when I shifted and also I viewed he was out and all the Colts white colored jackets chasing him, I mentioned, 'Okay, I've reached go satisfy him.' So I just removed on a dead sprint since I understood he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "As soon as he got past our first surge of individuals, at that point our team have a protection on each side as well as me in between. I knew I was as well far away from him. If I could obtain close sufficient to him to at least slow-moving him down, possibly the quest could possibly come to him. However he juked the piss out of me, also. That's the thing regarding Devin. When he has a bit of space, keeping that sight, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 backyards for a touchdown with the opening first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and didn't touch him whatsoever, I was like 'damn.' It is actually comical because after one play, my shirt is dirtier than any person's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually way too much available industry, so I recognized correct after that and also there [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a condition where I was actually pinned to a subsidiary and also possessed the subsidiary working against me. Our team were in the open area, so I knew he had not been going to acquire me." Joniak: "I keep in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and Devin looked up. I was actually pondering why he was finding later on to discover that he was actually checking out himself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him as well as merely stumbled him up and he detected the end area for the goal." The Bears' momentum would certainly continue on the next travel as they opened a 14-6 top, but the Colts took management in the 2nd part for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "We started the activity with a goal as well as our team believed it was mosting likely to be actually an ass-whipping. Actually failed to find yourself in this way, although we emerged and also our team obtained a selection right afterwards, very. Our team presumed our experts possessed all sort of drive at that point and then certainly it wound up switching on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I assume the something concerning that was it was actually the 1st play of the activity. That actually operated in our perk given that if it was actually everything later than that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it will be like, 'Oh my God!' It would certainly be actually a tough factor to recoup from." But our team had four quarters to recover and also place that responsible for us. So, for us it was type of like, 'Okay, our team attempted. Embarassment on our team and then our company can keep it moving currently.' Given that eventually, we knew offensively we were actually heading to record greater than seven points, and I understood defensively our company were mosting likely to maintain them coming from recording." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire team is actually ignited and delighted. Right now when they start to our team, their defense is heading to be actually happening a thousand kilometers a hr because the energy is actually presently on their side ... however the truth that there was still 59 1/2 mins left in the video game, we knew it had not been over by any means. Our team just knew that this is actually the man that is going to wreck the game for us if our company do not protect against that. And definitely only checking out that 1st play was actually proof of that. Permit's not kick him one more round." Gilmore: "They received smart and determined to kick it to John Gilmore. I had two gains in that video game. That's what takes place when Devin takes the position kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder added to this file.