.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Personnel WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, originally dealing with the Minnesota Vikings before shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a recurring panelist on Around the Horn and also hold of Best Week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She formerly worked at the San Jose Mercury Information as a multimedia sporting activities journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester returned to his indigenous South Fla for the biggest video game of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was actually properly on his way to coming to be the best gain professional in NFL history.The previous second-round selection, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had presently made first-team All-Pro awareness and also Pro Dish honors due to the opportunity the Bears progressed to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a job- and also league-high 47 punts with three leading to goals in 2006. He also came back pair of kickoffs for goals and racked up after returning a missed field goal 108 gardens versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts had lots of film to examine as they planned for Chicago's a lot of hazardous item. They had seen Hester run a punt back 83 backyards for the okay goal to cover off a 20-point revival gain the Cardinals. They watched him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the very same game to mark kickoff gain goals of 94 as well as 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the piece toss inside a rainy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and elected to obtain, the Colts sent the opening first right into Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 secs to dash from where he handled Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' end line, 92 gardens away, all while seeing himself on the videoboard as he recorded the only TD return of a position kickoff in Super Bowl history.The letdown coming from a resulting 29-17 reduction to the Colts performed little bit of to fade the play that accentuates Hester's Hall of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will definitely be preserved in Canton this weekend as the 1st player selected to the Pro Soccer Venue of Prominence primarily as a zing returner a gamer that sparked among the most iconic moments in NFL history.Devin Hester definitely started the Super Dish along with a home call One of the greatest zing returners ever before switches 40 today.( through @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For 2 weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually come up with a tactical plan for Hester that revolved around him certainly not touching the ball. While the Bears' special crews devices were actually the best eruptive in the organization, the Colts ranked 30th in kickoff coverage and also 32nd in punt coverage. Right here is actually exactly how that planning eventually accepted among one of the most fantastic plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't a harmful aggressive staff. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet coverage, come back, they possessed the most ideal exclusive groups unit in the NFL. Bar none. As well as the best returner, probably in NFL background." Tony Dungy, Colts head trainer: "We were kicking to the sections, our company are actually bouncing the sphere, we are actually squibbing it, our company are actually punting high, or our company are actually punting out of bounds. We stated, 'He's certainly not heading to be actually an element. Our experts presume our company can easily handle their offense.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his come backs for touchdowns were actually puntings, not necessarily kickoffs [Hester came back 3 punts and two firsts for TDs in 2006] We knew for certain the strategic plan was do not punt the round to him. Try to punt it 40 gardens, forty five backyards, away from bounds. Give up some distance but perform not permit him receive the sphere in his hands." Our team thought about it the other technique as well as didn't wish to give up a lots of yardage on first things, thus since our company've obtained a couple of our starters therein, allow's attempt to pin him behind-the-scenes as well as view if our experts can easily overload that edge and attempt to decrease his return. Our team engaged in that all full week long. It had not been also like our experts were actually fretted to kick a touchback. Our team were even more interested regarding hitting it over in the section, and also if he records it at the 2- or 3-yard line yet it is actually actually near the sideline, after that our team might try to box him in a little bit." Reid: "The strategy was our company're not going to boot to him. He is actually too harmful." Days before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "Some of our pastors provided a chapel service prior to the activity and spoke about David as well as Goliath and pointed out, 'The cause David succeeded is he wasn't afraid. All the various other Israelites feared of Giant.' So I started thinking, am I putting fear in to our individuals' souls? Am I playing this incorrect? Our team can not hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as startled as any individual that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the storm became, Hester took the take it easy and also brought in history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I modified my mind as well as said if our company lose the throw, our company are actually mosting likely to begin. We're mosting likely to kick it to him, as well as I want you to decrease as well as extra pound him. And when our team take their champion down, that's heading to send a notification just like David." I referred to it with Russ Purnell, our special crews coach, as well as obviously he mentioned we can cover, our company can possibly do this. Our company'll receive him in the Super Dish. Everyone intends to have their minute. No person intends to go out there certainly and simply claim, 'Hey, our company weren't component of this, or even our experts really did not support.' So it was common, but at the end of the day, it was my selection." Reid: "2 or even three times just before the activity I moved the people to convince Train Dungy. I pointed out, 'We can manage him. We'll be alright.' You could possibly say to [Dungy] worried regarding performing it, but he resembles: 'OK, I trust you guys.'" Dave Toub, Bears special staffs coordinator: "Every activity that our company possessed, it was constantly a concern of who's mosting likely to boot to him, that isn't heading to kick to him. We knew that they had actually referred to not booting to him, but our experts always supposed as a personnel that they were heading to kick to our company in the Super Bowl just because it is actually the Super Bowl." That's what I told them Saturday night. I said, 'They're going to kick the ball right to us.'" An unforeseen tornado moved in to the Miami region on activity time and also dumped nearly one inch of storm over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the night. A group of 74,512 viewed Hester and the Bears kickoff yield group trot onto the industry to obtain the opening kick just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a newbie, his assurance when he took the area was unbelievable. Our company took a ton of pride in obstructing for him. Special teams wasn't a job. It didn't think that you were being actually punished for certainly not being a starter. Any time you stepped on the area with him in the profit activity, it resembled, 'Male, our company can easily get it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears security: "This is pre-smartphones. I always remember observing all these flashes hit when the sphere is being started. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Running out to the game coming from the locker room felt surreal. I've certainly never experienced anything like it. It was like the movies. There were Classical candle lights being actually shot up plus all the coal were actually coming down in slow mo. It completely had me bugged out. I came to the sideline and it felt like, 'Whoa, what merely occurred?' And after that we win the coin throw and our company're getting. Speak about an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears devices supervisor: "I mentioned if it enters the end area, obtain that ball for him. That's what remained in my thoughts because it was never ever carried out, had never ever been actually carried out before." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it certainly never entered my thoughts that he will dash a sphere back for a goal. It truly failed to. I've had two of them in Super Containers. I kicked one to [Green Bay Packers broad receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and he ran it back for a goal. So it happened to me just before, but at no time was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it's going to take place once again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Hall of FameThe Venue of Popularity Game between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be actually telecasted on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two participates in that define Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney places spin on heritage u2022 Mongo's battle, adventure to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't fearful when our experts performed it. I assumed, our company'll put him in the section, our experts'll tackle him inside the 25 and our experts'll really feel respectable concerning ourselves. And also is actually never what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that emerged of my mouth [when he saw the ball moved his means] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester got Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line as well as raised field to the twenty. The closest a Colts defender would get to addressing him was security Marlin Jackson, who was actually inches out of Hester, who accelerated far from his understanding. The Bears' wedge consisting of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid developed a gap for Hester to blast past the 1st surge of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Dish logo design and started running alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made the cut to the middle of the field, I just knew it. That's what he did. He eluded everybody every time he did that. The middle of the area was golden for Devin. They didn't intend to kick it down the mid to Devin, yet they apparently were dealing with it way too much, as well as if you presume you are actually beat. If they boot it down the middle of the industry, I recognized he was mosting likely to credit rating." I kept talking about him remaining in his lawn [on the show] I feel I stated, 'Coming from Riviera Coastline to the most significant phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are absurd.'" Harris: "I always remember reaching an individual, it was possibly around the little Super Bowl company logo. I cracked this fella and kind of saw [Devin] showing off through. As well as when I turned around and also I observed he was actually out and all the Colts white colored shirts chasing him, I mentioned, 'All right, I have actually reached go meet him.' So I just took off on a dead sprint due to the fact that I knew he was racking up." Vinatieri: "When he got past our 1st surge of people, at that point our company have a security on each side as well as me in the center. I recognized I was also distant from him. If I can get close sufficient to him to a minimum of slow-moving him down, possibly the interest could come to him. But he outwited the piss out of me, also. That's the important things regarding Devin. When he possesses a little bit of area, with that vision, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 yards for a touchdown with the opening first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged as well as didn't touch him at all, I felt like 'damn.' It is actually hilarious considering that after one play, my shirt is dirtier than anybody's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was way too much open industry, so I recognized right then and also there certainly [after Vinatieri's try] It had not been a scenario where I was actually affixed to a subsidiary and possessed the side project working against me. Our experts resided in the available field, so I knew he had not been going to acquire me." Joniak: "I always remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and Devin sought out. I was actually asking yourself why he was actually looking up later on to learn that he was looking at himself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him and also merely slipped him up and he tumbled into the end area for the goal." The Bears' drive would certainly advance the upcoming travel as they opened a 14-6 lead, but the Colts took control in the 2nd region for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company began the video game with a goal and also we assumed it was heading to be an ass-whipping. Actually really did not end up this way, although our company visited as well as our company got a selection right after that, too. Our team presumed our experts had all kinds of energy at that point and afterwards obviously it ended up shifting on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I presume the one thing concerning that was it was the 1st play of the video game. That really done work in our advantage since if it was anything later than that, like in in the fourth quarter, it will resemble, 'Oh my The lord!' It would certainly be a difficult factor to recover coming from." But our experts had four quarters to recuperate and also put that responsible for our team. Therefore, for us it was actually type of like, 'Okay, we tried. Pity on us and then our company can easily maintain it moving now.' Because in the long run, we knew offensively our experts were visiting record greater than 7 aspects, and I recognized defensively we were going to keep them from counting." Vinatieri: "Their entire staff is actually ignited and also excited. Right now when they begin to our team, their self defense is mosting likely to be coming a thousand kilometers a hr since the energy is actually on their edge ... however the reality that there was actually still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the activity, we knew it had not been over whatsoever. We felt in one's bones that this is the person that will certainly damage the ready us if our team do not stop that. And undoubtedly simply checking out that initial play was actually proof of that. Let's not boot him yet another round." Gilmore: "They acquired wise and also made a decision to boot it to John Gilmore. I had pair of profits in that video game. That's what takes place when Devin takes the position kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder contributed to this report.