.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings just before switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a regular panelist on Around the Horn and also host of Best Week Ever on ESPN Radio. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She recently worked at the San Jose Mercury Information as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the moment Devin Hester came back to his native South Florida for the greatest video game of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was effectively on his way to coming to be the most ideal return professional in NFL history.The former second-round selection, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had presently made first-team All-Pro awareness as well as Pro Dish tributes due to the time the Bears progressed to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned an occupation- and league-high 47 punts with three causing goals in 2006. He additionally came back two firsts for goals as well as scored after coming back a missed out on field goal 108 backyards versus the New York Giants.The Colts had loads of movie to study as they got ready for Chicago's the majority of dangerous weapon. They had actually seen Hester run a punt back 83 lawns for the go-ahead touchdown to cap off a 20-point return sway the Cardinals. They observed him rip past the St. Louis Rams two times in the exact same activity to notch first return goals of 94 and 96 lawns, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the coin toss inside a wet Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens as well as selected to obtain, the Colts delivered the position first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him every one of 14 seconds to run from where he handled Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' end zone, 92 backyards away, all while watching themself on the videoboard as he taped the only TD return of a position kickoff in Super Dish history.The disappointment coming from a resulting 29-17 loss to the Colts carried out little to vanish the play that emphasizes Hester's Venue of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend as the very first gamer selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame first and foremost as a kick returner a player who triggered among the most iconic seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester really began the Super Dish along with a property telephone call Among the best zing returners ever before switches 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 put together a strategic plan for Hester that focused on him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' unique crews units were one of the most eruptive in the organization, the Colts rated 30th in first protection and 32nd in punt coverage. Here is how that program ultimately yielded to among the absolute most thrilling plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't a hazardous aggressive group. They had [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. However insurance coverage, profits, they possessed the greatest unique groups unit in the NFL. Club none. And also the best returner, possibly in NFL past." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "Our experts were booting to the edges, we are actually jumping the round, our experts are actually squibbing it, our company're punting higher, or our experts are actually punting out of bounds. Our experts stated, 'He's certainly not heading to be actually an element. Our company presume our team may manage their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his returns for goals were actually puntings, not always kickoffs [Hester came back three punts and 2 firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood for certain the tactical plan was do not punt the ball to him. Attempt to punt it 40 lawns, 45 yards, out of bounds. Sacrifice some range yet do not let him receive the sphere in his palms." Our experts thought about it the other way and also really did not want to sacrifice a lots of yardage on kickoff things, thus since our company have actually obtained a couple of our starters in there, let's make an effort to affix him in a corner and also view if our team may overload that edge and make an effort to decrease his gain. Our team practiced that all full week long. It wasn't also like our company were paniced to boot a touchback. We were actually even more concerned about reaching it over in the edge, and also if he captures it at the 2- or even 3-yard line but it's really near to the side project, then our experts might attempt to carton him in a small amount." Reid: "The game plan was our team're not visiting boot to him. He's too dangerous." Times before the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "Some of our chaplains provided a church service before the activity and spoke about David and Giant and pointed out, 'The factor David succeeded is he wasn't afraid. All the various other Israelites were afraid of Giant.' So I started believing, am I placing anxiety in to our fellas' centers? Am I playing this incorrect? We can not be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as startled as anybody that the Colts were kicking to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the storm fell, Hester took the take it easy and made history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I transformed my thoughts and also claimed if our team shed the toss, our experts're going to begin. Our team're visiting boot it to him, and I want you to drop and also extra pound him. And when our team knock their champ down, that's mosting likely to send out a notification similar to David." I discussed it along with Russ Purnell, our exclusive groups instructor, and also of course he stated our company can easily deal with, our company can possibly do this. We'll get him in the Super Bowl. Everybody desires to have their instant. Nobody intends to go out there and merely say, 'Hey, we weren't aspect of this, or our experts didn't support.' So it was shared, but at the end of the time, it was my choice." Reid: "2 or 3 times before the activity I rallied the guys to entice Train Dungy. I said, 'Our experts can manage him. Our team'll be great.' You could inform [Dungy] regreted concerning performing it, yet he resembles: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique groups coordinator: "Every activity that our team possessed, it was actually always a question of that's visiting kick to him, that isn't heading to kick to him. We knew that they had actually talked about not kicking to him, but we regularly assumed as a team that they were actually visiting boot to our team in the Super Dish just because it is actually the Super Bowl." That's what I informed them Saturday night. I stated, 'They are actually going to kick the round right to our company.'" An unpredicted storm moved right into the Miami area on game day as well as discarded virtually one in of storm over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the night. A group of 74,512 enjoyed Hester as well as the Bears kickoff gain group trot onto the industry to get the position zing following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a rookie, his assurance when he took the field was actually unbelievable. We took a lot of pride in blocking out for him. Unique teams wasn't a chore. It didn't feel like you were actually being actually reprimanded for not being a starter. Any time you stepped on the field with him in the return activity, it resembled, 'Man, our experts can take it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears security: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I always remember viewing all these flashes click when the ball is actually being began. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Ending to the game from the closet room experienced unique. I've never ever felt anything like it. It was like the motion pictures. There were Roman candle lights being shot up plus all the cinders were boiling down in slow mo. It completely had me annoyed out. I reached the sideline and it felt like, 'Whoa, what merely occurred?' And then we win the coin shake and also we're getting. Discuss an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears tools manager: "I said if it goes in completion area, acquire that ball for him. That's what resided in my thoughts given that it was never ever done, had actually never been actually done before." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it certainly never entered my mind that he would certainly jog a sphere back for a goal. It really didn't. I've possessed two of all of them in Super Containers. I kicked one to [Environment-friendly Bay Packers vast receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] as well as he worked it back for a touchdown. So it happened to me prior to, but at no time was I assuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually visiting take place again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Venue of FameThe Venue of Fame Video Game between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will certainly be aired on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two plays that determine Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney puts spin on heritage u2022 Mongo's fight, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't fearful when our team performed it. I believed, our experts'll place him in the corner, our team'll confront him inside the 25 and we'll really feel fair regarding ourselves. And that is actually not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that showed up of my mouth [when he viewed the round moved his method] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester got Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and added industry to the twenty. The closest a Colts guardian would reach handling him was safety Marlin Jackson, who was actually ins out of Hester, that accelerated off of his realization. The Bears' wedge being composed of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid created a space for Hester to blast past the 1st surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Bowl logo design and also started dashing alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made it halfway of the area, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he performed. He beat everybody each time he did that. The middle of the industry was actually gold for Devin. They really did not desire to kick it down the middle to Devin, yet they seemingly were dealing with it a lot of, as well as if you presume you're trumped. If they kick it down the center of the field, I knew he was heading to credit rating." I always kept referring to him residing in his yard [on the show] I feel I stated, 'From Riviera Seaside to the greatest stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually preposterous.'" Harris: "I remember striking a fella, it was possibly around the little Super Bowl logo. I broke this individual as well as kind of saw [Devin] flashing by. As well as when I turned around as well as I observed he was actually out plus all the Colts white jerseys chasing him, I pointed out, 'Okay, I've reached go satisfy him.' So I only took off on a lifeless sprint because I recognized he was racking up." Vinatieri: "The moment he got past our 1st wave of guys, then we have a safety on each edge as well as me in the center. I knew I was actually as well far away coming from him. If I might acquire close sufficient to him to at least sluggish him down, maybe the interest could come to him. However he juked the piss out of me, too. That's the important things regarding Devin. When he possesses a little bit of room, with that said sight, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 backyards for a goal along with the position first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove as well as didn't touch him in any way, I felt like 'damn.' It's hilarious due to the fact that after one play, my shirt is actually dirtier than anyone's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was a lot of open industry, so I knew ideal then and certainly there [after Vinatieri's attempt] It wasn't a condition where I was actually affixed to a side project and also possessed the sideline working against me. We resided in the open area, so I recognized he had not been going to get me." Joniak: "I remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and Devin found. I was thinking about why he was finding later on to learn that he was actually checking out himself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him as well as simply stumbled him up and also he detected completion area for the touchdown." The Bears' energy will continue on the following ride as they opened a 14-6 top, however the Colts took command in the second part for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company started the game along with a touchdown as well as we believed it was actually heading to be an ass-whipping. Definitely didn't find yourself in this way, although we appeared as well as our team obtained a choice right afterwards, very. We believed our company had all sort of drive then and after that undoubtedly it wound up moving on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive end: "I presume the the main thing regarding that was it was the very first play of the game. That in fact done work in our perk due to the fact that if it was everything behind that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would certainly be like, 'Oh my God!' It would be a difficult trait to recuperate coming from." However our company had 4 quarters to recuperate and place that responsible for us. So, for us it was actually sort of like, 'Okay, we attempted. Shame on us and then our experts may keep it moving currently.' Considering that in the end, we understood offensively we were actually heading to count more than seven factors, and I recognized defensively we were mosting likely to keep them from recording." Vinatieri: "Their whole group is actually fired up and delighted. Now when they start to our team, their defense is actually going to be happening a thousand miles a hr given that the momentum is actually already on their side ... however the simple fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 mins left in the video game, we understood it wasn't over whatsoever. We just knew that this is the person that will definitely ravage the ready our team if we don't stop that. And also definitely simply viewing that very first play was actually verification of that. Let's not boot him an additional ball." Gilmore: "They obtained smart as well as chose to boot it to John Gilmore. I had two gains in that activity. That's what happens when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner supported this document.