.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings before switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a recurring panelist on Around the Horn as well as hold of Best Full week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News as an interactives media sports journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester came back to his native South Florida for the most significant game of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was effectively on his method to becoming the very best gain specialist in NFL history.The previous second-round selection, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually gained first-team All-Pro awareness and also Pro Bowl honors by the opportunity the Bears accelerated to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a career- and also league-high 47 puntings with 3 causing goals in 2006. He also came back pair of kickoffs for touchdowns as well as scored after coming back an overlooked field goal 108 yards versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts had loads of film to study as they organized Chicago's the majority of harmful item. They had observed Hester operate a punt back 83 gardens for the okay touchdown to cover off a 20-point comeback gain the Cardinals. They watched him rip past the St. Louis Rams twice in the same activity to scratch kickoff yield touchdowns of 94 and 96 yards, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the piece shake inside a rainy Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens as well as elected to get, the Colts sent out the opening kickoff right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 seconds to sprint from where he handled Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' goal line, 92 yards away, all while viewing himself on the videoboard as he documented the only TD profit of an opening first in Super Dish history.The frustration coming from a resulting 29-17 loss to the Colts carried out little bit of to vanish the play that highlights Hester's Hall of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend as the 1st gamer elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame primarily as a kick returner a player that triggered among one of the most famous seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester really started the Super Bowl with a residence phone call One of the greatest zing returners ever before turns 40 today.( by means of @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For 2 weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually produced a strategy for Hester that revolved around him not touching the ball. While the Bears' exclusive crews units were the most explosive in the league, the Colts rated 30th in first coverage as well as 32nd in punt protection. Here is exactly how that strategy eventually accepted one of the best exciting plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a hazardous aggressive staff. They had [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet coverage, come back, they had the very best unique teams unit in the NFL. Pub none. And also the greatest returner, perhaps in NFL past." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "Our team were booting to the sections, we're hopping the sphere, we are actually squibbing it, our experts are actually punting higher, or we are actually punting away from bounds. Our experts mentioned, 'He's not going to be an aspect. Our company assume our company can regulate their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Most of his profits for goals were puntings, not automatically kickoffs [Hester returned three punts as well as two firsts for TDs in 2006] We knew for certain the tactical plan was actually don't punt the round to him. Attempt to punt it 40 gardens, 45 gardens, out of bounds. Sacrifice some span however carry out certainly not let him receive the sphere in his palms." We thought of it the various other means and also really did not would like to lose a lots of yardage on first stuff, thus since we have actually received a couple of our beginners in there, let's make an effort to pin him behind-the-scenes as well as view if we can easily overload that side as well as try to decrease his return. Our experts practiced that all week long. It had not been also like our team were actually paniced to boot a touchback. Our experts were additional interested about attacking it over in the section, and also if he records it at the 2- or even 3-yard line however it is actually definitely near to the subsidiary, at that point our company might attempt to box him in a little bit." Reid: "The game plan was our experts are actually certainly not heading to kick to him. He is actually also unsafe." Times before the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy modified his mind.Dungy: "One of our pastors offered a church service prior to the video game as well as referred to David as well as Goliath as well as pointed out, 'The cause David achieved success is he had not been scared. All the various other Israelites feared of Goliath.' So I started assuming, am I placing worry into our individuals' hearts? Am I playing this incorrect? Our experts can't be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as shocked as any individual that the Colts were actually stopping to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the storm became, Hester took the sit back as well as brought in history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I changed my thoughts and mentioned if we lose the throw, our company are actually visiting kick off. Our team are actually mosting likely to kick it to him, and I wish you to decrease as well as extra pound him. And when our experts knock their champ down, that is actually visiting send an information similar to David." I referred to it with Russ Purnell, our unique staffs train, and also certainly he claimed our experts can deal with, our experts may do this. Our team'll receive him in the Super Bowl. Everybody intends to have their minute. Nobody intends to head out there and also only say, 'Hey, we weren't component of this, or even we failed to support.' So it was actually common, yet by the end of the day, it was my selection." Reid: "2 or three times before the activity I moved the fellas to entice Coach Dungy. I pointed out, 'Our team may manage him. We'll be alright.' You can tell [Dungy] worried concerning doing it, however he's like: 'OK, I trust you people.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive staffs planner: "Every activity that our experts possessed, it was actually constantly a concern of who is actually heading to kick to him, who isn't going to boot to him. We understood that they had actually referred to not kicking to him, but our company always presumed as a personnel that they were heading to boot to our company in the Super Dish even if it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I told all of them Sunday evening. I said, 'They're heading to boot the round right to our company.'" An unpredicted hurricane moved into the Miami region on video game time and disposed virtually one inch of rain over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 checked out Hester and the Bears first gain group trot onto the field to receive the position kick following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a novice, his peace of mind when he took the area was unreal. We took a lot of honor in blocking for him. Special crews had not been a job. It didn't think that you were actually being disciplined for certainly not being actually a starter. Any time you stepped on the area along with him in the profit activity, it was like, 'Man, we can easily get it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I bear in mind observing all these flashes click when the sphere is being actually started. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Going out to the activity from the storage locker area felt unique. I have actually certainly never really felt anything like it. It resembled the flicks. There were actually Classical candle lights being actually skyrocketed and all the cinders were actually coming down in slow mo. It completely possessed me pestered out. I came to the sideline and it was like, 'Whoa, what only occurred?' And after that our team gain the piece toss and we are actually getting. Talk about an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment supervisor: "I said if it enters completion area, receive that ball for him. That's what remained in my mind given that it was never performed, had actually never ever been carried out before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it never ever entered my mind that he would jog a ball back for a goal. It actually didn't. I've had two of all of them in Super Bowls. I kicked one to [Environment-friendly Gulf Packers broad receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and he operated it back for a goal. So it occurred to me before, but at no opportunity was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it's visiting happen once again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Venue of FameThe Hall of Popularity Activity between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will certainly be telecasted on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 participates in that determine Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney puts twist on heritage u2022 Mongo's match, experience to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't horrendous when our experts did it. I assumed, our company'll put him in the section, we'll confront him inside the 25 as well as our experts'll experience good regarding ourselves. And that's not what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that appeared of my mouth [when he observed the ball moved his way] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and also ran up field to the 20. The closest a Colts guardian would get to handling him was protection Marlin Jackson, who was actually inches out of Hester, who sped up away from his comprehension. The Bears' block including Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid made a space for Hester to blast past the 1st surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish logo design as well as began sprinting alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the area, I just knew it. That's what he did. He beat everyone every single time he performed that. The middle of the field was gold for Devin. They really did not intend to kick it down the mid to Devin, but they relatively were considering it a lot of, as well as if you think you are actually defeated. If they kick it down the middle of the field, I understood he was heading to rating." I always kept referring to him residing in his lawn [on the program] I think I claimed, 'From Riviera Beach to the largest phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are preposterous.'" Harris: "I always remember hitting a guy, it was actually probably around the little bit of Super Bowl company logo. I broke this individual and sort of saw [Devin] flashing by. As well as when I reversed and also I found he was out and all the Colts white colored jackets chasing him, I stated, 'All right, I have actually reached go satisfy him.' So I only removed on a lifeless sprint because I understood he was scoring." Vinatieri: "Once he surpassed our 1st wave of individuals, then we possess a safety on each edge as well as me in the center. I recognized I was too far from him. If I could possibly receive close sufficient to him to at the very least slow him down, perhaps the search can get to him. However he outwited the piss away from me, as well. That's the thing about Devin. When he possesses a little of space, keeping that vision, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 gardens for a goal along with the opening kickoff in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged and really did not touch him at all, I was like 'damn.' It's amusing due to the fact that after one play, my jersey is actually dirtier than anybody's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was too much open industry, so I recognized best after that and also there certainly [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a circumstance where I was actually affixed to a side project and also had the side project working against me. Our company were in the open area, so I knew 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 thinking about why he was searching for later on to discover that he was examining themself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him as well as just slipped him up as well as he detected completion zone for the touchdown." The Bears' drive would continue the upcoming ride as they opened up a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took command in the 2nd area for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our team began the game with a touchdown as well as we presumed it was going to be an ass-whipping. Really didn't end up this way, even though our experts appeared and also our company obtained a choice right after that, very. We believed our company had all kinds of drive at that point and afterwards certainly it ended up switching on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I believe the a single thing regarding that was it was actually the 1st play of the game. That really functioned in our benefit considering that if it was actually anything behind that, like in in the fourth quarter, it would certainly feel like, 'Oh my God!' It would be a tough point to recover coming from." But our company had four fourths to recoup and also place that responsible for our company. Therefore, for our company it was type of like, 'All right, we made an effort. Shame on our company and then we may keep it relocating now.' Since in the long run, we knew offensively our company were actually heading to count more than 7 points, as well as I understood defensively we were mosting likely to maintain all of them from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their entire team is fired up and also delighted. Now when they begin to our team, their self defense is going to be actually coming a thousand kilometers an hour since the energy is actually currently on their edge ... but the simple fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 mins left behind in the game, we understood it wasn't over by any means. We just knew that this is actually the person that is going to ravage the game for us if our company don't avoid that. And also obviously simply seeing that 1st play was actually evidence of that. Permit's certainly not boot him yet another ball." Gilmore: "They acquired smart as well as decided to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed pair of gains because activity. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position first for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder resulted in this document.