.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, initially dealing with the Minnesota Vikings before switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a regular panelist on Around the Horn and hold of Best Week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She formerly worked at the San Jose Mercury Information as an interactives media sports journalist.By the time Devin Hester went back to his native South Fla for the biggest game of his lifestyle in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was actually properly on his means to becoming the very best profit professional in NFL history.The former second-round choice, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had already earned first-team All-Pro recognition as well as Pro Bowl honors by the time the Bears accelerated to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back an occupation- as well as league-high 47 punts with three resulting in goals in 2006. He also came back two kickoffs for goals and also scored after coming back a missed field goal 108 gardens versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts possessed plenty of film to research as they organized Chicago's the majority of risky weapon. They had observed Hester operate a punt back 83 gardens for the permission goal to top off a 20-point return draw the Cardinals. They watched him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the same video game to scratch first yield touchdowns of 94 and also 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the piece shake inside a rainy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and chosen to receive, the Colts sent out the opening kickoff right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 secs to sprint from where he dealt with Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' goal, 92 backyards away, all while seeing himself on the videoboard as he documented the only TD yield of an opening kickoff in Super Bowl history.The disappointment coming from a resulting 29-17 loss to the Colts performed little to fade the play that draws attention to Hester's Hall of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact is going to be enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the first player chosen to the Pro Soccer Hall of Prominence primarily as a zing returner a gamer who triggered one of one of the most iconic seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester definitely began the Super Dish along with a home call One of the best kick returners ever switches 40 today.( via @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For two full weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had crafted a game plan for Hester that revolved around him not touching the ball. While the Bears' unique staffs units were actually the best eruptive in the game, the Colts placed 30th in first insurance coverage and 32nd in punt protection. Listed below is actually just how that strategy essentially yielded to among one of the most exciting plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't a hazardous offensive staff. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet coverage, come back, they possessed the best special teams unit in the NFL. Club none. And also the most effective returner, most likely in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "Our experts were actually kicking to the edges, our experts are actually hopping the ball, our experts are actually squibbing it, our company are actually punting higher, or our team're punting out of bounds. Our experts mentioned, 'He is actually not going to be an aspect. Our experts think our team may manage their offense.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his profits for goals were actually puntings, certainly not essentially kickoffs [Hester came back 3 puntings and two kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew without a doubt the strategic plan was do not punt the sphere to him. Attempt to punt it 40 lawns, forty five backyards, away from bounds. Sacrifice some distance however perform certainly not let him get the round in his palms." We thought about it the various other way and also didn't wish to lose a ton of yardage on first things, so given that our experts have actually acquired a couple of our beginners in there, let's attempt to affix him behind-the-scenes and view if we can overload that side and attempt to minimize his gain. We practiced that all full week long. It wasn't also like our experts were fretted to boot a touchback. Our experts were actually even more interested regarding reaching it over in the corner, and also if he captures it at the 2- or 3-yard line but it's really near to the sideline, then our team might make an effort to carton him in a bit." Reid: "The strategy was our team are actually certainly not mosting likely to boot to him. He's too hazardous." Days just before the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "Among our pastors gave a church company prior to the game as well as talked about David as well as Giant as well as pointed out, 'The reason David achieved success is he wasn't afraid. All the other Israelites hesitated of Giant.' So I began thinking, am I placing concern into our people' hearts? Am I playing this wrong? We can't be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as surprised as anybody that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the settle back as well as made past history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I altered my mind as well as said if our experts lose the throw, we're mosting likely to kick off. Our experts're mosting likely to kick it to him, and I wish you to go down as well as pound him. As well as when we knock their champion down, that's going to send out a message much like David." I referred to it with Russ Purnell, our unique crews instructor, as well as certainly he stated our company can cover, our team may do this. Our experts'll acquire him in the Super Bowl. Everybody intends to possess their second. Nobody intends to go out certainly there as well as just point out, 'Hey, our experts weren't part of this, or even our team didn't contribute.' So it was actually mutual, but at the end of the day, it was my decision." Reid: "2 or even three days just before the activity I rallied the men to convince Coach Dungy. I claimed, 'Our experts can handle him. We'll be actually fine.' You can say to [Dungy] felt uneasy regarding doing it, but he's like: 'OK, I trust you guys.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique staffs planner: "Every activity that our team had, it was actually consistently a question of who's visiting boot to him, who isn't mosting likely to boot to him. We knew that they had actually referred to not booting to him, yet our experts regularly thought as a team that they were going to boot to our team in the Super Dish even if it's the Super Bowl." That's what I informed them Saturday night. I claimed, 'They are actually mosting likely to boot the round right to us.'" An unforeseen hurricane relocated into the Miami area on game time as well as ditched almost one inch of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the night. A crowd of 74,512 viewed Hester and also the Bears kickoff profit group trot onto the field to get the opening kick just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a rookie, his confidence when he took the industry was actually unbelievable. Our experts took a ton of pride in blocking for him. Unique groups had not been a duty. It really did not believe that you were actually being actually penalized for certainly not being a starter. Any time you stepped on the area along with him in the profit video game, it felt like, 'Man, our company can easily take it to your home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I don't forget seeing all these flashes click on when the sphere is being began. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Running out to the video game coming from the storage locker area felt surreal. I have actually certainly never felt everything like it. It resembled the flicks. There were Classical candles being actually soared and all the embers were coming down in slow mo. It entirely had me pestered out. I got to the side project and also it felt like, 'Whoa, what simply occurred?' And after that our team win the coin shake and our experts are actually getting. Speak about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears tools supervisor: "I stated if it enters completion region, get that ball for him. That's what was in my mind because it was actually certainly never performed, had never ever been carried out just before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it certainly never entered my mind that he will jog a sphere back for a goal. It really didn't. I have actually possessed two of them in Super Containers. I kicked one to [Environment-friendly Gulf Packers vast receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and he worked it back for a touchdown. So it occurred to me before, yet at no time was I thinking, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually going to take place again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Venue of FameThe Hall of Prominence Activity between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be actually telecasted on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of plays that define Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney places spin on tradition u2022 Mongo's match, quest to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been fearful when our company performed it. I thought, we'll place him in the corner, our company'll attack him inside the 25 and also our company'll feel fair about our own selves. And that is actually absolutely not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that appeared of my mouth [when he saw the ball moved his means] were actually 'Holy s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and ran up area to the 20. The closest a Colts defender would come to addressing him was actually protection Marlin Jackson, that was actually ins far from Hester, that increased away from his realization. The Bears' block featuring Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid produced a space for Hester to blast past the 1st surge of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Bowl company logo and started running parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made the cut to the middle of the area, I just knew it. That's what he carried out. He outran everyone every single time he did that. The middle of the area was golden for Devin. They really did not intend to boot it down the middle to Devin, yet they relatively were actually thinking of it excessive, and if you assume you are actually trumped. If they kick it down the middle of the area, I knew he was actually visiting score." I kept speaking about him residing in his lawn [on the program] I think I said, 'Coming from Riviera Beach to the biggest phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are outrageous.'" Harris: "I don't forget striking an individual, it was actually possibly around the little bit of Super Bowl logo. I damaged this fella and also kind of saw [Devin] showing off through. And when I turned around as well as I viewed he was actually out plus all the Colts white colored shirts chasing him, I stated, 'Okay, I've come to go meet him.' So I merely took off on a dead sprint because I understood he was scoring." Vinatieri: "When he surpassed our very first wave of guys, after that our experts possess a security on each edge and also me in the middle. I recognized I was too away from him. If I might receive close good enough to him to at least sluggish him down, possibly the search might reach him. But he juked the piss away from me, as well. That's the many things regarding Devin. When he possesses a small amount of space, keeping that vision, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 yards for a goal with the opening first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped as well as really did not touch him at all, I resembled 'damn.' It is actually amusing because after one play, my jersey is actually dirtier than anyone's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually excessive open industry, so I recognized appropriate at that point and also there [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a circumstance where I was actually affixed to a sideline and also possessed the sideline working against me. Our team resided in the open field, so I understood he had not been going to obtain me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and Devin searched for. I was thinking about why he was actually seeking out later on to learn that he was considering themself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him and merely stumbled him up and also he tumbled into completion region for the goal." The Bears' momentum would continue on the following travel as they opened up a 14-6 lead, but the Colts took control in the second region for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "We began the activity with a goal and also our company believed it was going to be actually an ass-whipping. Really really did not end up that way, even though we appeared and our company received a pick right afterwards, extremely. Our experts presumed our experts possessed all type of momentum then and afterwards definitely it wound up moving on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I assume the a single thing concerning that was it was actually the initial play of the game. That actually functioned in our benefit given that if it was everything beyond that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would feel like, 'Oh my The lord!' It will be a difficult factor to bounce back coming from." Yet our experts possessed 4 quarters to bounce back as well as put that responsible for our company. So, for us it was actually type of like, 'All right, we tried. Pity on us and after that we may maintain it moving right now.' Since in the long run, we knew offensively our experts were mosting likely to record greater than 7 aspects, and also I knew defensively we were actually going to keep them from recording." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire group is fired up and thrilled. Right now when they begin to us, their defense is actually visiting be coming a thousand miles an hour given that the momentum is already on their side ... however the reality that there was still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the activity, we understood it had not been over by any means. Our experts just knew that this is actually the fella that will ravage the ready our company if our experts don't protect against that. As well as definitely just watching that first play was actually proof of that. Permit's certainly not boot him an additional round." Gilmore: "They obtained wise as well as decided to kick it to John Gilmore. I possessed pair of yields because activity. That's what takes place when Devin takes the position kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder contributed to this report.