.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, initially covering the Minnesota Vikings just before shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a recurring panelist on Around the Horn and also hold of Utmost Week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She earlier worked at the San Jose Mercury Headlines as a multimedia sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester came back to his indigenous South Florida for the most significant activity of his lifestyle in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was actually properly on his method to ending up being the greatest return specialist in NFL history.The past second-round pick, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually presently gained first-team All-Pro recognition and also Pro Bowl tributes by the time the Bears progressed to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned an occupation- and league-high 47 puntings with three leading to touchdowns in 2006. He additionally came back pair of kickoffs for goals as well as racked up after coming back a skipped field goal 108 gardens versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts possessed plenty of movie to research as they got ready for Chicago's most harmful weapon. They had actually found Hester operate a punt back 83 lawns for the go-ahead touchdown to top off a 20-point revival draw the Cardinals. They observed him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the exact same game to notch kickoff return goals of 94 as well as 96 yards, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece throw inside a rainy Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens as well as selected to acquire, the Colts sent out the opening first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 seconds to run from where he handled Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal, 92 gardens away, all while seeing themself on the videoboard as he taped the only TD yield of an opening first in Super Dish history.The letdown coming from an eventual 29-17 loss to the Colts performed little bit of to vanish the play that complements Hester's Venue of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will be enshrined in Canton this weekend as the first player selected to the Pro Regulation Football Hall of Fame initially as a zing returner a player that stimulated some of the best legendary seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester definitely began the Super Dish with a home call Some of the greatest zing returners ever before turns 40 today.( by means of @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For two weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had put together a tactical plan for Hester that revolved around him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' unique teams devices were the best explosive in the game, the Colts rated 30th in first protection and also 32nd in punt protection. Listed below is exactly how that plan essentially accepted some of the absolute most impressive plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't an unsafe offensive staff. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. But insurance coverage, profits, they possessed the best exclusive staffs unit in the NFL. Bar none. And the best returner, perhaps in NFL record." Tony Dungy, Colts head trainer: "Our experts were kicking to the corners, our experts're jumping the ball, our experts are actually squibbing it, our team're punting high, or our team are actually punting away from bounds. Our company pointed out, 'He's not visiting be actually a factor. Our company think our company can regulate their offense.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his come backs for goals were actually puntings, certainly not necessarily kickoffs [Hester returned three punts as well as pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood for sure the strategy was do not punt the sphere to him. Try to punt it 40 gardens, forty five gardens, out of bounds. Lose some span yet carry out not let him receive the round in his hands." We considered it the various other way and really did not want to sacrifice a lots of yardage on kickoff stuff, therefore since our experts've acquired a number of our beginners therein, allow's try to affix him in a corner as well as view if our experts may overload that edge and make an effort to decrease his return. We exercised that all week long. It had not been even like our team were actually worried to kick a touchback. Our experts were more worried regarding attacking it over in the section, as well as if he records it at the 2- or even 3-yard line however it's definitely near the side project, then our team might attempt to box him in a little." Reid: "The strategy was our team are actually not mosting likely to kick to him. He is actually too harmful." Times prior to the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy changed his mind.Dungy: "Among our pastors offered a church company prior to the activity and discussed David and Goliath as well as claimed, 'The cause David was successful is he had not been worried. All the other Israelites hesitated of Giant.' So I began thinking, am I placing worry into our fellas' centers? Am I playing this incorrect? We can't fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as pleasantly surprised as anybody that the Colts were stopping to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the rainfall became, Hester took the kick back and brought in past. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I changed my thoughts and also claimed if our team shed the toss, our experts're going to kick off. Our company're going to boot it to him, and also I prefer you to drop and also pound him. And when our team take their champ down, that's mosting likely to deliver a notification much like David." I discussed it with Russ Purnell, our special groups train, and also certainly he stated our experts can easily deal with, we may do this. Our experts'll receive him in the Super Dish. Everybody intends to have their second. Nobody desires to go out there certainly as well as merely claim, 'Hey, our experts weren't part of this, or our experts really did not support.' So it was actually shared, however in the end of the day, it was my decision." Reid: "Two or three times just before the activity I moved the guys to encourage Train Dungy. I mentioned, 'Our experts may handle him. Our experts'll be actually fine.' You could possibly say to [Dungy] worried about doing it, but he's like: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive teams organizer: "Every activity that our company had, it was actually consistently a question of that is actually going to boot to him, that isn't heading to boot to him. We knew that they had actually referred to not kicking to him, however our company consistently supposed as a workers that they were visiting boot to our company in the Super Dish even if it is actually the Super Bowl." That's what I informed them Sunday night. I claimed, 'They are actually visiting boot the sphere right to our team.'" An unforeseen storm moved in to the Miami place on video game time and poured almost one in of storm over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 seen Hester and also the Bears first profit team trot onto the area to obtain the opening kick following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a novice, his assurance when he took the industry was actually unreal. We took a considerable amount of pride in blocking for him. Special groups wasn't a duty. It didn't think that you were being actually punished for not being actually a starter. Any time you stepped on the field along with him in the yield activity, it felt like, 'Man, our experts can get it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is pre-smartphones. I bear in mind observing all these flashes hit when the ball is being actually started. That was actually unbelievable." Gilmore: "Running out to the game from the closet space experienced unique. I have actually certainly never really felt anything like it. It felt like the movies. There were Roman candles being shot up plus all the cinders were actually boiling down in slow mo. It completely had me pestered out. I got to the sideline as well as it resembled, 'Whoa, what simply occurred?' And after that our company succeed the coin throw as well as we are actually getting. Discuss an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment manager: "I stated if it uses completion area, obtain that reception for him. That's what was in my thoughts given that it was certainly never carried out, had actually never ever been actually performed before." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it certainly never entered my mind that he would run a ball back for a touchdown. It actually failed to. I've possessed two of all of them in Super Bowls. I booted one to [Eco-friendly Gulf Packers broad receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and also he operated it back for a goal. So it occurred to me just before, however at no time was I assuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually heading to take place once more.' 2024 Pro Football Hall of FameThe Venue of Fame Activity in between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be actually telecasted on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 plays that determine Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney puts twist on heritage u2022 Mongo's fight, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't fearful when our experts did it. I presumed, our company'll place him in the section, we'll attack him inside the 25 as well as our experts'll feel good concerning ourselves. And also is actually never what took place." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that appeared of my mouth [when he observed the round headed his means] were 'Divine s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line as well as ran up industry to the 20. The closest a Colts guardian will come to addressing him was actually protection Marlin Jackson, that was ins off of Hester, that increased away from his comprehension. The Bears' wedge being composed of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid developed a gap for Hester to blow past the 1st surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish logo design and also began dashing parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the field, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he carried out. He outran everyone every single time he performed that. The center of the field was actually golden for Devin. They really did not would like to kick it down the middle to Devin, yet they seemingly were actually considering it way too much, as well as if you believe you're trumped. If they boot it down the center of the industry, I understood he was heading to credit rating." I always kept speaking about him remaining in his yard [on the show] I think I pointed out, 'Coming from Riviera Beach front to the greatest stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually ridiculous.'" Harris: "I remember hitting a guy, it was probably around the little Super Bowl logo. I nicked this man as well as type of saw [Devin] showing off by. And also when I shifted and also I viewed he was out plus all the Colts white jackets chasing him, I said, 'All right, I've got to go fulfill him.' So I merely took off on a lifeless sprint since I understood he was racking up." Vinatieri: "When he got past our very first surge of fellas, then we possess a safety and security on each edge and also me in the center. I understood I was as well distant from him. If I might obtain close sufficient to him to a minimum of slow him down, possibly the quest could come to him. But he juked the piss away from me, also. That is actually the many things concerning Devin. When he has a little of space, with that vision, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 backyards for a touchdown along with the position first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove as well as failed to touch him at all, I felt like 'damn.' It is actually hilarious since after one play, my jacket is actually dirtier than anybody's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was way too much available area, so I understood ideal at that point as well as there [after Vinatieri's attempt] It wasn't a situation where I was actually pinned to a side project and possessed the side project working against me. Our experts remained in the open field, so I understood he had not been going to obtain me." Joniak: "I don't forget [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and also Devin searched for. I was pondering why he was actually finding later on to discover that he was actually examining themself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him and also merely tripped him up and also he detected the end zone for the touchdown." The Bears' momentum would continue on the following drive as they opened a 14-6 lead, however the Colts took control in the 2nd sector for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company started the activity along with a goal as well as our team presumed it was mosting likely to be an ass-whipping. Definitely failed to end up that way, although our experts came out and our experts received a selection right afterwards, too. We presumed our team had all kinds of energy then and afterwards obviously it ended up moving on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I think the one thing about that was it was the initial play of the activity. That really functioned in our benefit because if it was actually everything later than that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it will resemble, 'Oh my The lord!' It would be a hard point to bounce back coming from." But our experts had four fourths to recuperate as well as place that responsible for our team. Therefore, for our company it was kind of like, 'All right, our company attempted. Embarassment on our team and then our team can easily maintain it moving right now.' Given that in the long run, we knew offensively our experts were mosting likely to count much more than 7 aspects, as well as I knew defensively our company were visiting keep all of them coming from counting." Vinatieri: "Their whole crew is ignited as well as excited. Currently when they start to our company, their protection is mosting likely to be actually coming a million miles a hr given that the energy is presently on their edge ... however the fact that there was still 59 1/2 minutes left in the game, we understood it had not been over whatsoever. We felt in one's bones that this is the man that will definitely damage the game for our team if our team do not prevent that. As well as certainly just watching that 1st play was actually proof of that. Let's certainly not kick him another ball." Gilmore: "They obtained clever and also decided to kick it to John Gilmore. I possessed 2 yields in that activity. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder resulted in this document.