.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Personnel WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings prior to changing to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a regular panelist on Around the Horn and hold of Best Week Ever on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She earlier operated at the San Jose Mercury Information as a multimedia sporting activities journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester went back to his native South Fla for the largest game of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was actually effectively on his way to ending up being the best return professional in NFL history.The former second-round choice, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually currently gained first-team All-Pro awareness and also Pro Bowl tributes due to the opportunity the Bears evolved to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a job- and league-high 47 punts with 3 resulting in touchdowns in 2006. He additionally came back 2 firsts for goals and racked up after returning an overlooked basket 108 gardens versus the New york city Giants.The Colts possessed loads of film to analyze as they prepared for Chicago's a lot of dangerous item. They had seen Hester manage a punt back 83 yards for the go-ahead goal to cover off a 20-point comeback gain the Cardinals. They observed him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the same game to notch kickoff profit goals of 94 as well as 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece toss inside a wet Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens and chosen to receive, the Colts sent the position kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him every one of 14 few seconds to dash where he dealt with Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' end zone, 92 backyards away, all while seeing themself on the videoboard as he captured the only TD yield of a position first in Super Bowl history.The letdown from an ultimate 29-17 reduction to the Colts did little bit of to fade the play that complements Hester's Venue of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence is going to be actually preserved in Canton this weekend break as the initial player elected to the Pro Regulation Football Hall of Fame primarily as a kick returner a player who sparked some of one of the most famous instants in NFL history.Devin Hester truly started the Super Bowl along with a property phone call One of the greatest zing returners ever turns 40 today.( through @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For pair of weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had actually crafted a game plan for Hester that revolved around him not touching the sphere. While the Bears' exclusive groups units were the best explosive in the league, the Colts rated 30th in first protection and 32nd in punt protection. Listed below is how that planning eventually accepted one of one of the most fantastic plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a harmful offensive staff. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. But coverage, profits, they had the most ideal unique teams system in the NFL. Club none. And the greatest returner, most likely in NFL background." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "We were actually kicking to the edges, our company're bouncing the round, our company're squibbing it, our team're punting high, or our experts're punting away from bounds. Our experts pointed out, 'He's certainly not heading to be actually a factor. Our team think we can handle their offense.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his come backs for touchdowns were puntings, not essentially kickoffs [Hester returned 3 puntings and also pair of kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew for certain the game plan was actually do not punt the sphere to him. Attempt to punt it 40 gardens, 45 yards, away from bounds. Lose some span however carry out certainly not allow him receive the sphere in his palms." Our team considered it the other way and failed to wish to lose a lots of yardage on kickoff things, so given that our team have actually obtained a couple of our starters therein, allow's try to affix him in a corner and find if our company can easily overload that side and also make an effort to minimize his profit. We practiced that all week long. It wasn't also like our experts were stressed to boot a touchback. We were even more concerned regarding hitting it over in the corner, as well as if he catches it at the 2- or even 3-yard pipe yet it is actually really near to the sideline, at that point our company could possibly make an effort to container him in a small amount." Reid: "The game plan was our company are actually certainly not mosting likely to boot to him. He's as well dangerous." Times before the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy modified his mind.Dungy: "Among our chaplains offered a chapel solution before the video game and talked about David and also Giant and also mentioned, 'The main reason David was successful is he had not been worried. All the other Israelites hesitated of Goliath.' So I began presuming, am I putting anxiety right into our people' hearts? Am I playing this incorrect? Our experts can't be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as stunned as anyone that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the take it easy as well as brought in past history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I transformed my mind and also mentioned if our experts lose the toss, our team are actually visiting kick off. We are actually mosting likely to boot it to him, and also I prefer you to go down as well as extra pound him. And when our team knock their champ down, that's visiting deliver an information much like David." I referred to it with Russ Purnell, our exclusive teams train, and also certainly he said our team may deal with, our experts may do this. We'll get him in the Super Bowl. Everyone would like to possess their moment. Nobody desires to walk out there certainly and also merely say, 'Hey, our experts weren't aspect of this, or even our experts didn't contribute.' So it was actually reciprocal, but at the end of the time, it was my choice." Reid: "Two or even 3 days before the video game I moved the fellas to entice Train Dungy. I stated, 'We may handle him. Our team'll be actually great.' You could possibly say to [Dungy] felt uneasy about doing it, yet he's like: 'OK, I trust you guys.'" Dave Toub, Bears special teams coordinator: "Every activity that our company possessed, it was actually always an inquiry of who's visiting boot to him, that isn't heading to boot to him. We knew that they had actually discussed not kicking to him, however our experts consistently presumed as a staff that they were actually going to kick to us in the Super Dish just because it's the Super Dish." That's what I informed them Sunday evening. I claimed, 'They are actually going to boot the round right to our company.'" An unexpected storm relocated into the Miami location on activity day and disposed almost one inch of rain over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 seen Hester as well as the Bears kickoff profit team trot onto the area to get the opening zing after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a rookie, his confidence when he took the field was unbelievable. Our team took a bunch of pleasure in blocking for him. Special crews had not been a task. It didn't believe that you were being actually penalized for not being a starter. Whenever you stepped on the field along with him in the return video game, it felt like, 'Guy, our company can easily get it to our home.'" Chris Harris, Bears security: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I don't forget seeing all these flashes hit when the round is actually being actually began. That was actually unbelievable." Gilmore: "Running out to the video game coming from the closet room felt surreal. I've never ever felt just about anything like it. It resembled the motion pictures. There were actually Roman candlesticks being actually shot up plus all the cinders were coming down in slow mo. It entirely possessed me bugged out. I got to the side project and also it resembled, 'Whoa, what just occurred?' And afterwards we succeed the piece toss as well as our team are actually getting. Talk about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I mentioned if it uses the end area, acquire that ball for him. That's what was in my thoughts given that it was actually certainly never performed, had actually certainly never been actually carried out before." Vinatieri: "Honestly it never ever entered my thoughts that he would jog a ball back for a goal. It definitely failed to. I've possessed 2 of all of them in Super Bowls. I booted one to [Veggie Bay Packers broad receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and also he functioned it back for a goal. So it happened to me just before, yet at no opportunity was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually mosting likely to happen once again.' 2024 Pro Football Venue of FameThe Venue of Prominence Game in between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be televised on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of participates in that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney places spin on tradition u2022 Mongo's fight, experience to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been horrendous when we performed it. I thought, our experts'll put him in the section, our company'll attack him inside the 25 and we'll really feel pretty good regarding our own selves. And that is actually absolutely not what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that emerged of my oral cavity [when he saw the round moved his way] were actually 'Holy s--.'" Hester got Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and also ran up industry to the 20. The closest a Colts defender would reach addressing him was actually safety and security Marlin Jackson, that was actually inches off of Hester, who accelerated off of his comprehension. The Bears' block consisting of Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid generated a space for Hester to blast past the initial surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish company logo and began dashing parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the field, I just knew it. That's what he did. He outran everybody whenever he did that. The middle of the field was gold for Devin. They failed to want to boot it down the mid to Devin, yet they relatively were actually thinking about it way too much, as well as if you think you're beat. If they kick it down the center of the field, I knew he was visiting score." I kept discussing him remaining in his garden [on the broadcast] I believe I stated, 'From Riviera Seashore to the most significant phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are absurd.'" Harris: "I don't forget striking a guy, it was probably around the little Super Bowl logo design. I chipped this guy and also type of saw [Devin] showing off through. As well as when I turned around and also I observed he was out plus all the Colts white jerseys chasing him, I claimed, 'Okay, I've got to go fulfill him.' So I just took off on a dead sprint since I recognized he was scoring." Vinatieri: "When he got past our first surge of guys, then our company have a safety on each side as well as me in the center. I knew I was also far away from him. If I could possibly receive close enough to him to at the very least slow him down, perhaps the interest might reach him. But he outwited the piss away from me, also. That's the many things about Devin. When he has a little bit of room, with that said sight, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 backyards for a goal along with the position kickoff in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and didn't touch him in all, I felt like 'damn.' It's comical given that after one play, my jersey is actually dirtier than anybody's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was too much available industry, so I knew correct after that as well as there certainly [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a scenario where I was pinned to a sideline and also had the subsidiary working against me. Our team remained in the open area, so I recognized he wasn't going to receive me." Joniak: "I always remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and also Devin looked up. I was actually wondering why he was actually finding later on to learn that he was actually considering themself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him and simply stumbled him up and also he detected the end area for the touchdown." The Bears' energy would certainly advance the following ride as they opened up a 14-6 top, however the Colts took control in the 2nd quarter for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company began the activity with a goal as well as our experts presumed it was mosting likely to be actually an ass-whipping. Definitely didn't find yourself this way, despite the fact that our company visited as well as our team received a pick right after that, extremely. Our team believed we had all sort of energy then and after that clearly it ended up moving on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I assume the something about that was it was the first play of the activity. That actually worked in our perk due to the fact that if it was actually everything beyond that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it will feel like, 'Oh my God!' It would certainly be a tough trait to recover coming from." Yet we had four one-fourths to recoup and place that responsible for our team. Therefore, for our company it was type of like, 'Okay, we made an effort. Embarassment on us and then our team may keep it relocating currently.' Due to the fact that in the end, we understood offensively our experts were going to rack up much more than 7 points, as well as I knew defensively our company were actually heading to keep all of them coming from recording." Vinatieri: "Their whole staff is actually ignited and excited. Now when they begin to our team, their protection is visiting be actually coming a million miles an hour because the energy is already on their side ... yet the fact that there was still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the video game, we understood it wasn't over whatsoever. We just knew that this is the fella that is going to trash the ready us if we do not avoid that. And also definitely just viewing that 1st play was proof of that. Let's certainly not boot him another ball." Gilmore: "They obtained wise as well as decided to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed two gains because game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder added to this record.