.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, actually dealing with the Minnesota Vikings prior to shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and host of Best Week Ever Before on ESPN Radio. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She formerly worked at the San Jose Mercury News as a multimedia sporting activities journalist.By the time Devin Hester came back to his native South Fla for the greatest game of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was effectively on his way to becoming the most ideal profit professional in NFL history.The previous second-round pick, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually actually gotten first-team All-Pro awareness as well as Pro Bowl tributes by the opportunity the Bears evolved to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a profession- as well as league-high 47 punts along with three causing goals in 2006. He likewise came back pair of kickoffs for goals as well as scored after coming back a missed basket 108 gardens versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts possessed plenty of movie to research as they got ready for Chicago's the majority of dangerous item. They had actually seen Hester run a punting back 83 lawns for the permission goal to top off a 20-point return sway the Cardinals. They observed him rip past the St. Louis Rams twice in the exact same game to mark first return goals of 94 and 96 yards, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the piece throw inside a wet Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens and chosen to get, the Colts sent out the position first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 secs to sprint from where he dealt with Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' goal line, 92 backyards away, all while watching themself on the videoboard as he captured the only TD profit of an opening kickoff in Super Dish history.The setback coming from an eventual 29-17 reduction to the Colts carried out little to vanish the play that accentuates Hester's Venue of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect is going to be actually preserved in Canton this weekend as the very first gamer selected to the Pro Regulation Football Venue of Prominence primarily as a kick returner a player that triggered among one of the most legendary minutes in NFL history.Devin Hester definitely started the Super Dish along with a house telephone call One of the best zing returners ever turns 40 today.( by means of @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For two full 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' exclusive groups systems were the most eruptive in the organization, the Colts rated 30th in first protection and 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Listed below is actually just how that planning eventually yielded to some of the most fantastic plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a dangerous aggressive crew. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. However protection, return, they had the greatest unique groups system in the NFL. Bar none. And also the most ideal returner, possibly in NFL record." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "Our team were actually booting to the edges, our experts are actually hopping the round, we're squibbing it, our team're punting high, or our team are actually punting away from bounds. Our team claimed, 'He is actually not going to be an element. Our experts think our experts can easily control their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his returns for touchdowns were actually punts, not automatically kickoffs [Hester returned three puntings and two kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood for certain the strategy was actually don't punt the round to him. Attempt to punt it 40 gardens, 45 gardens, away from bounds. Give up some distance but perform not let him get the ball in his hands." Our company dealt with it the various other method as well as really did not would like to give up a ton of yardage on kickoff things, thus given that our experts've acquired a number of our beginners in there, allow's attempt to affix him behind-the-scenes and view if our experts may overload that edge and also try to lessen his return. Our company engaged in that all full week long. It had not been even like we were actually fretted to boot a touchback. Our experts were actually additional interested regarding striking it over in the corner, as well as if he captures it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe however it's definitely near the side project, after that our experts can try to package him in a bit." Reid: "The strategy was we're certainly not heading to boot to him. He's too harmful." Times prior to the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "Some of our pastors gave a church company prior to the game and spoke about David as well as Goliath and claimed, 'The main reason David achieved success is he had not been scared. All the various other Israelites were afraid of Giant.' So I began assuming, am I putting fear into our men' hearts? Am I playing this wrong? We can not fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as startled as anyone that the Colts were actually stopping to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the rainfall fell, Hester took the kick back and brought in history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I altered my mind and also claimed if our team drop the throw, our company're mosting likely to start. We are actually mosting likely to kick it to him, and also I prefer you to drop as well as pound him. And when we knock their champ down, that's mosting likely to send out a message much like David." I spoke about it along with Russ Purnell, our unique crews coach, as well as certainly he stated our team can easily deal with, we may do this. Our team'll obtain him in the Super Dish. Everyone desires to possess their instant. No one wants to walk out there as well as simply say, 'Hey, our company weren't portion of this, or even our company didn't assist.' So it was shared, however at the end of the time, it was my choice." Reid: "2 or three days before the video game I rallied the guys to encourage Coach Dungy. I mentioned, 'Our experts can handle him. We'll be fine.' You might tell [Dungy] felt uneasy regarding doing it, yet he's like: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears special groups planner: "Every game that our experts possessed, it was consistently a question of that's mosting likely to boot to him, who isn't mosting likely to boot to him. We knew that they had talked about certainly not booting to him, however our experts constantly thought as a team that they were actually visiting kick to our team in the Super Bowl just because it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I informed all of them Saturday night. I mentioned, 'They are actually going to boot the sphere right to us.'" An unpredicted tornado relocated right into the Miami location on game day and also disposed virtually one inch of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 seen Hester as well as the Bears kickoff return group trot onto the area to obtain the opening zing following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a novice, his self-confidence when he took the field was unreal. Our company took a ton of pride in obstructing for him. Exclusive crews had not been a job. It failed to seem like you were being actually reprimanded for not being actually a starter. At any time you tromped the industry along with him in the yield video game, it resembled, 'Male, our team may take it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I keep in mind observing all these flashes click when the round is being actually began. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Going out to the video game from the locker area experienced surreal. I have actually never felt just about anything like it. It was like the motion pictures. There were Roman candles being actually shot up plus all the ashes were coming down in slow mo. It entirely possessed me bugged out. I reached the side project and also it was like, 'Whoa, what just taken place?' And after that we succeed the piece toss and we are actually acquiring. Talk about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears devices supervisor: "I stated if it enters completion area, get that ball for him. That's what remained in my thoughts since it was actually certainly never performed, had certainly never been done before." Vinatieri: "Frankly it certainly never entered my thoughts that he would certainly dash a ball back for a touchdown. It truly failed to. I've possessed two of them in Super Dishes. I kicked one to [Green Gulf Packers broad receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and he functioned it back for a touchdown. So it occurred to me prior to, yet at no time was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually going to take place again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Hall of FameThe Venue of Fame Activity in between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be aired on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of participates in that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney puts twist on legacy u2022 Mongo's match, adventure to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been horrendous when our company performed it. I presumed, our company'll put him in the corner, our company'll confront him inside the 25 and our experts'll experience decent regarding our own selves. Which's never what took place." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that came out of my mouth [when he observed the ball headed his means] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and also raised area to the twenty. The closest a Colts protector would get to handling him was safety Marlin Jackson, who was actually inches out of Hester, who increased far from his understanding. The Bears' block featuring Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid produced a void for Hester to blow past the very first wave of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Bowl logo and also started running alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the industry, I just knew it. That's what he carried out. He outran everybody each time he carried out that. The middle of the field was actually gold for Devin. They failed to desire to kick it down the middle to Devin, yet they relatively were actually thinking about it too much, and also if you think you are actually beat. If they kick it down the middle of the field, I knew he was mosting likely to credit rating." I always kept discussing him being in his lawn [on the show] I believe I said, 'From Riviera Beach to the biggest stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are outrageous.'" Harris: "I don't forget striking an individual, it was possibly around the little bit of Super Bowl company logo. I broke this man as well as sort of saw [Devin] flashing through. As well as when I shifted as well as I found he was out plus all the Colts white jerseys chasing him, I stated, 'All right, I've reached go meet him.' So I just removed on a lifeless sprint due to the fact that I knew he was racking up." Vinatieri: "Once he surpassed our very first wave of men, after that we possess a security on each edge and me in between. I recognized I was as well far away coming from him. If I could possibly get close sufficient to him to a minimum of slow him down, possibly the quest could come to him. But he outwited the piss away from me, as well. That is actually the thing about Devin. When he has a bit of space, with that dream, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 yards for a goal along with the opening first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged and also really did not touch him whatsoever, I felt like 'damn.' It's comical considering that after one play, my shirt is actually dirtier than anyone's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was too much open field, so I understood ideal at that point and also there [after Vinatieri's attempt] It wasn't a scenario where I was actually affixed to a sideline and possessed the subsidiary working against me. We remained in the available field, so I knew he wasn't going to get me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and Devin looked up. I was actually pondering why he was actually looking up later to know that he was examining themself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him as well as merely stumbled him up and he tumbled into completion area for the goal." The Bears' drive would advance the next travel as they opened a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took management in the second sector for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company began the video game with a goal and also our experts assumed it was going to be an ass-whipping. Actually failed to end up this way, even though our team came out and also our company obtained a choice right after that, very. Our experts assumed our experts had all kinds of drive at that point and afterwards undoubtedly it found yourself switching on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I believe the the main thing about that was it was actually the first play of the video game. That really operated in our benefit due to the fact that if it was just about anything behind that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would feel like, 'Oh my God!' It would be a difficult trait to recover coming from." But we possessed four one-fourths to recoup and put that behind us. So, for our team it was kind of like, 'All right, our experts tried. Shame on our company and after that our company can keep it moving currently.' Because eventually, we knew offensively we were going to rack up greater than seven factors, and also I knew defensively we were mosting likely to keep all of them from recording." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire team is actually fired up and excited. Right now when they kick off to our company, their defense is actually visiting be actually coming a million kilometers a hr given that the drive is actually on their edge ... yet the fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 moments left in the activity, we understood it wasn't over by any means. Our company felt in one's bones that this is actually the guy that will certainly wreck the game for our company if our company do not protect against that. And definitely just enjoying that 1st play was actually evidence of that. Let's certainly not boot him one more sphere." Gilmore: "They got brilliant and also chose to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed pair of profits in that game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder helped in this report.