.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, originally dealing with the Minnesota Vikings just before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a regular panelist on Around the Horn as well as range of Best Full week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She recently worked at the San Jose Mercury Updates as a multimedia sports journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester returned to his native South Fla for the greatest video game of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was actually effectively on his way to becoming the best return expert in NFL history.The previous second-round selection, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually presently gained first-team All-Pro awareness and also Pro Bowl tributes due to the opportunity the Bears advanced to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a career- and also league-high 47 puntings along with 3 causing touchdowns in 2006. He also returned pair of kickoffs for goals and also scored after coming back a missed out on field goal 108 backyards versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts possessed plenty of movie to study as they planned for Chicago's many risky tool. They had observed Hester run a punt back 83 gardens for the green light goal to cover off a 20-point revival win over the Cardinals. They watched him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the exact same game to scratch first profit goals of 94 and also 96 lawns, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the coin toss inside a stormy Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens and selected to get, the Colts sent out the position kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him every one of 14 few seconds to run where he dealt with Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' end line, 92 lawns away, all while viewing himself on the videoboard as he recorded the only TD yield of an opening kickoff in Super Dish history.The frustration from a resulting 29-17 reduction to the Colts carried out little bit of to vanish the play that highlights Hester's Venue of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect will be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend as the first player selected to the Pro Regulation Football Hall of Popularity initially as a zing returner a player who sparked some of one of the most legendary seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester actually started the Super Dish along with a home call Among the best kick returners ever transforms 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For two weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had produced a strategic plan for Hester that focused on him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' unique staffs devices were the best eruptive in the game, the Colts ranked 30th in first coverage and 32nd in punt coverage. Here is how that program inevitably accepted among one of the most exciting plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a hazardous offensive staff. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet insurance coverage, profits, they had the greatest exclusive teams unit in the NFL. Club none. As well as the best returner, probably in NFL background." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "Our team were actually booting to the sections, our team are actually bouncing the ball, we're squibbing it, our company are actually punting high, or our team are actually punting away from bounds. Our team pointed out, 'He is actually not heading to be an element. We assume our team can easily manage their offense.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his profits for touchdowns were actually punts, certainly not automatically kickoffs [Hester came back 3 puntings and also 2 kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew for sure the strategic plan was do not punt the ball to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 backyards, 45 yards, away from bounds. Give up some distance however do not allow him obtain the sphere in his hands." Our team considered it the various other method and failed to want to give up a lot of yardage on kickoff stuff, so considering that our team have actually received a number of our starters in there, permit's try to affix him in a corner as well as see if our company may overload that side as well as try to decrease his yield. Our team performed that all full week long. It wasn't also like we were actually fretted to boot a touchback. We were actually additional anxious concerning hitting it over in the edge, as well as if he records it at the 2- or 3-yard line however it's definitely near to the side project, then our company could possibly make an effort to carton him in a small amount." Reid: "The tactical plan was we are actually certainly not mosting likely to kick to him. He's also hazardous." Times just before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy modified his mind.Dungy: "Some of our chaplains provided a church solution just before the game as well as spoke about David as well as Goliath and also mentioned, 'The reason David succeeded is he wasn't frightened. All the various other Israelites were afraid of Giant.' So I began presuming, am I putting concern into our people' souls? Am I playing this wrong? Our company can't fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as shocked as any person that the Colts were kicking to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the sit back and made background. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I transformed my mind and also claimed if our company shed the shake, our team're visiting begin. Our team are actually visiting boot it to him, and also I wish you to go down and pound him. And when we knock their champion down, that is actually visiting deliver a notification just like David." I discussed it with Russ Purnell, our unique staffs instructor, and certainly he claimed our team can easily deal with, our experts may do this. Our experts'll receive him in the Super Dish. Everyone desires to possess their instant. No person wishes to head out there certainly and also just state, 'Hey, our experts weren't component of this, or even we didn't support.' So it was actually reciprocal, yet in the end of the day, it was my choice." Reid: "Two or even 3 times prior to the game I rallied the guys to convince Coach Dungy. I claimed, 'Our team can easily manage him. We'll be alright.' You can tell [Dungy] worried regarding performing it, yet he's like: 'OK, I trust you people.'" Dave Toub, Bears special groups coordinator: "Every activity that our experts possessed, it was always a question of who is actually heading to kick to him, that isn't mosting likely to kick to him. We understood that they had talked about not booting to him, however our company regularly thought as a workers that they were mosting likely to boot to our company in the Super Bowl even if it's the Super Bowl." That's what I told all of them Sunday night. I said, 'They're heading to kick the ball right to our team.'" An unpredicted hurricane moved right into the Miami location on activity day and unloaded almost one inch of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the night. A group of 74,512 enjoyed Hester as well as the Bears first return crew trot onto the area to receive the opening zing just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a novice, his self-confidence when he took the area was actually unreal. Our experts took a lot of pride in shutting out for him. Unique groups wasn't a duty. It really did not seem like you were actually being actually penalized for certainly not being actually a starter. Any time you tromped the field with him in the gain activity, it felt like, 'Male, our experts may take it to your home.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I keep in mind viewing all these flashes click on when the sphere is actually being started. That was actually unbelievable." Gilmore: "Ending to the activity from the closet room really felt surreal. I have actually never ever really felt everything like it. It was like the films. There were Classical candles being soared and all the cinders were actually coming down in funeral pace. It totally possessed me bugged out. I reached the sideline and also it was like, 'Whoa, what just occurred?' And then our experts succeed the coin toss as well as we're receiving. Discuss an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I said if it enters the end zone, obtain that ball for him. That's what resided in my thoughts because it was actually never ever done, had actually certainly never been actually performed just before." Vinatieri: "Frankly it never entered my mind that he will jog a sphere back for a goal. It truly failed to. I've possessed 2 of all of them in Super Dishes. I kicked one to [Environment-friendly Gulf Packers broad receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and he worked it back for a touchdown. So it occurred to me just before, however at no opportunity was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually heading to happen once again.' 2024 Pro Football Hall of FameThe Venue of Popularity Game between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be actually aired on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two participates in that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney places twist on heritage u2022 Mongo's fight, experience to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't fearful when we performed it. I thought, we'll put him in the edge, our company'll confront him inside the 25 and our team'll really feel fair about our own selves. And that's absolutely not what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that appeared of my mouth [when he found the round headed his way] were 'Divine s--.'" Hester got Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and raised field to the 20. The closest a Colts guardian would certainly get to addressing him was actually safety and security Marlin Jackson, who was actually ins away from Hester, that accelerated out of his knowledge. The Bears' block including Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also 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 dashing parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the industry, I just knew it. That's what he carried out. He outran everyone every time he did that. The middle of the industry was golden for Devin. They really did not want to boot it down the middle to Devin, yet they relatively were dealing with it excessive, and if you believe you're trumped. If they kick it down the middle of the industry, I recognized he was going to score." I always kept talking about him residing in his yard [on the broadcast] I believe I stated, 'From Riviera Coastline to the biggest stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are absurd.'" Harris: "I keep in mind striking a person, it was most likely around the little bit of Super Dish company logo. I chipped this guy and sort of saw [Devin] showing off through. And when I turned around and I found he was out plus all the Colts white colored jerseys chasing him, I pointed out, 'All right, I have actually got to go fulfill him.' So I simply took off on a lifeless sprint considering that I understood he was scoring." Vinatieri: "As soon as he got past our 1st surge of men, at that point we possess a protection on each edge and also me in the center. I knew I was actually also away coming from him. If I could receive close enough to him to at least slow-moving him down, perhaps the pursuit could get to him. Yet he juked the piss out of me, also. That's the thing concerning Devin. When he has a little of space, with that vision, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 lawns for a goal along with the position first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and didn't touch him whatsoever, I felt like 'damn.' It's amusing given that after one play, my jacket is dirtier than any person's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was too much available industry, so I understood appropriate then as well as there [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a situation where I was pinned to a subsidiary as well as possessed the sideline antagonizing me. Our team resided in the available industry, so I knew he had not been going to acquire me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down as well as Devin sought out. I was actually thinking about why he was searching for later on to know that he was actually taking a look at himself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him as well as just slipped him up and he tumbled into completion area for the touchdown." The Bears' energy will continue on the following ride as they opened a 14-6 lead, however the Colts took management in the second part for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts began the video game along with a touchdown as well as our experts believed it was actually mosting likely to be an ass-whipping. Truly failed to wind up by doing this, although our team emerged as well as our company acquired a selection right afterwards, very. Our team believed our company had all kinds of energy then and afterwards certainly it ended up moving on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I believe the something about that was it was the initial play of the activity. That really worked in our perk due to the fact that if it was anything beyond that, like in in the 4th quarter, it would feel like, 'Oh my The lord!' It will be a difficult point to recuperate from." But our company had four one-fourths to recuperate and also place that responsible for us. Therefore, for our company it was actually kind of like, 'Okay, our company tried. Embarassment on us and then our team can easily maintain it moving currently.' Considering that in the end, we understood offensively our experts were going to count much more than 7 aspects, and I knew defensively our company were going to keep them from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their whole crew is fired up as well as delighted. Right now when they kick off to our company, their self defense is actually mosting likely to be happening a thousand kilometers a hr because the drive is presently on their edge ... yet the simple fact that there was still 59 1/2 mins left in the activity, we understood it had not been over by any means. Our company felt in one's bones that this is the man that will certainly damage the game for our company if our experts don't stop that. As well as clearly merely watching that first play was verification of that. Let's certainly not kick him another round." Gilmore: "They got wise and also decided to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed two profits because activity. That's what happens when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder contributed to this report.