.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, initially covering the Minnesota Vikings just before shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a constant panelist on Around the Horn and also range of Best Full week Ever Before on ESPN Radio. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She recently operated at the San Jose Mercury Information as a multimedia sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester returned to his indigenous 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 well on his technique to becoming the most ideal yield professional in NFL history.The past second-round selection, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually currently earned first-team All-Pro awareness as well as Pro Bowl honors by the time the Bears progressed to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back an occupation- as well as league-high 47 punts with three causing goals in 2006. He also came back pair of kickoffs for goals as well as racked up after returning a missed basket 108 lawns versus the New york city Giants.The Colts possessed loads of movie to study as they prepared for Chicago's the majority of risky weapon. They had found Hester operate a punting back 83 backyards for the permission touchdown to cover off a 20-point resurgence sway the Cardinals. They experienced him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the exact same video game to notch first profit touchdowns of 94 and also 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the piece toss inside a wet Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and also chosen to obtain, the Colts sent the position kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 secs to dash where he dealt with Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' end zone, 92 lawns away, all while enjoying themself on the videoboard as he recorded the only TD return of a position kickoff in Super Bowl history.The disappointment from an eventual 29-17 loss to the Colts carried out little to fade the play that complements Hester's Hall of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will certainly be enshrined in Canton this weekend as the first player elected to the Pro Regulation Football Venue of Popularity first and foremost as a zing returner a gamer who stimulated some of one of the most well-known instants in NFL history.Devin Hester really began the Super Bowl with a house telephone call One of the best kick returners ever before switches 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For two weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had actually put together a tactical plan for Hester that revolved around him certainly not touching the sphere. While the Bears' exclusive teams systems were the best explosive in the organization, the Colts ranked 30th in kickoff insurance coverage and also 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Listed here is actually exactly how that program inevitably yielded to among one of the most impressive plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a harmful offensive group. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. However insurance coverage, return, they possessed the greatest exclusive staffs device in the NFL. Club none. As well as the best returner, possibly in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "Our team were booting to the corners, our experts're bouncing the sphere, we are actually squibbing it, we're punting higher, or even we're punting away from bounds. Our team stated, 'He is actually not visiting be a factor. Our team assume our experts can manage their offense.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his come backs for goals were puntings, certainly not necessarily kickoffs [Hester returned three punts as well as pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We knew for sure the strategy was actually do not punt the ball to him. Try to punt it 40 gardens, 45 yards, away from bounds. Compromise some range yet perform certainly not permit him get the round in his palms." Our team dealt with it the other way and really did not wish to sacrifice a lot of yardage on first things, thus since our experts have actually obtained a number of our beginners in there, allow's make an effort to pin him behind-the-scenes and find if our experts can overload that edge and attempt to reduce his profit. Our team performed that all week long. It had not been also like we were worried to boot a touchback. Our company were actually even more anxious regarding hitting it over in the edge, and also if he records it at the 2- or even 3-yard pipe however it is actually actually near to the side project, after that our company could try to package him in a little." Reid: "The tactical plan was our company are actually not heading to kick to him. He's as well dangerous." Days before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy modified his mind.Dungy: "Among our chaplains gave a chapel service prior to the video game and discussed David as well as Giant as well as pointed out, 'The factor David prospered is he had not been frightened. All the various other Israelites feared of Goliath.' So I began thinking, am I putting concern into our fellas' souls? Am I playing this wrong? We can't be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as pleasantly surprised as any individual that the Colts were actually stopping to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the storm fell, Hester took the settle back as well as created history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I transformed my thoughts and also stated if we drop the toss, we're visiting kick off. Our experts're heading to boot it to him, as well as I want you to decrease as well as extra pound him. And when we knock their champion down, that's mosting likely to send an information just like David." I discussed it with Russ Purnell, our special staffs instructor, and certainly he claimed our team may cover, we may do this. Our team'll acquire him in the Super Bowl. Everybody would like to possess their second. Nobody desires to head out there certainly and just say, 'Hey, our team weren't component of this, or our team really did not contribute.' So it was actually common, but in the end of the time, it was my choice." Reid: "Two or even three times prior to the game I moved the guys to encourage Coach Dungy. I claimed, 'We can easily handle him. Our company'll be fine.' You might tell [Dungy] worried about performing it, but he's like: 'OK, I trust you guys.'" Dave Toub, Bears special groups planner: "Every game that our team had, it was constantly 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 referred to not booting to him, yet we regularly assumed as a staff that they were actually mosting likely to kick to us in the Super Bowl just because it's the Super Bowl." That's what I told them Sunday evening. I said, 'They are actually heading to boot the ball right to our company.'" An unpredicted storm relocated into the Miami place on activity time as well as disposed almost one inch of rain over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the night. A group of 74,512 watched Hester as well as the Bears first return staff trot onto the area to receive the position zing after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a rookie, his assurance when he took the industry was actually unreal. Our company took a great deal of honor in shutting out for him. Exclusive crews wasn't a duty. It failed to think that you were being actually penalized for certainly not being actually a starter. Any time you tromped the industry along with him in the return activity, it was like, 'Man, we can easily take it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I keep in mind finding all these flashes click on when the ball is actually being began. That was actually unbelievable." Gilmore: "Ending to the activity from the closet area really felt unique. I've certainly never really felt everything like it. It was like the films. There were actually Classical candles being soared and all the ashes were actually coming down in funeral pace. It totally possessed me bugged out. I came to the side project and it was like, 'Whoa, what simply happened?' And then our experts succeed the piece shake and also our company're acquiring. Refer to an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment supervisor: "I claimed if it uses completion area, acquire that ball for him. That's what remained in my mind considering that it was actually never ever carried out, had actually never been performed just before." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it never entered my thoughts that he would dash a sphere back for a goal. It definitely didn't. I've had two of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Green Bay Packers vast receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and also he functioned it back for a touchdown. So it occurred to me just before, yet at no time was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it's mosting likely to happen again.' 2024 Pro Football Venue of FameThe Venue of Prominence Video Game between the Bears as well as Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be telecasted on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two participates in that define Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney places twist on tradition u2022 Mongo's match, journey to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been fearful when our experts did it. I believed, our experts'll put him in the section, we'll attack him inside the 25 and our company'll really feel good regarding ourselves. Which is actually never what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that showed up of my mouth [when he viewed the round headed his method] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line as well as raised industry to the 20. The closest a Colts defender will reach handling him was security Marlin Jackson, that was actually ins off of Hester, who accelerated away from his knowledge. The Bears' wedge consisting of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid created a void for Hester to blast past the 1st surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish company logo and also started running parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it halfway of the area, I just knew it. That's what he did. He eluded everyone whenever he carried out that. The center of the industry was actually gold for Devin. They didn't intend to boot it down the mid to Devin, however they relatively were actually thinking of it too much, and also if you assume you're trumped. If they boot it down the middle of the industry, I knew he was heading to score." I maintained talking about him being in his yard [on the show] I feel I claimed, 'From Riviera Coastline to the largest phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually foolish.'" Harris: "I bear in mind hitting a person, it was actually perhaps around the little bit of Super Bowl company logo. I chipped this fella as well as sort of saw [Devin] flashing through. And also when I reversed as well as I found he was actually out and all the Colts white shirts chasing him, I said, 'All right, I have actually got to go satisfy him.' So I just took off on a lifeless sprint considering that I understood he was racking up." Vinatieri: "The moment he surpassed our first wave of guys, at that point our company have a safety and security on each edge as well as me in between. I understood I was actually also away from him. If I can acquire close good enough to him to at least sluggish him down, possibly the interest might reach him. Yet he outwited the piss away from me, also. That is actually things about Devin. When he has a bit of area, with that sight, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 yards for a goal along with the position kickoff in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged as well as failed to touch him at all, I was like 'damn.' It is actually comical because after one play, my jersey is dirtier than any person's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually excessive available industry, so I understood best at that point and also there [after Vinatieri's attempt] It wasn't a condition where I was pinned to a side project as well as had the subsidiary working against me. Our experts were in the open industry, so I knew he wasn't going to get me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and also Devin found. I was wondering why he was actually finding eventually to know that he was actually examining themself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and also simply stumbled him up and also he tumbled into completion area for the goal." The Bears' drive will advance the upcoming ride as they opened a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took control in the second area for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company began the video game along with a touchdown as well as our company presumed it was going to be actually an ass-whipping. Truly didn't end up by doing this, although our experts visited and also our experts obtained a pick right after that, very. Our experts thought our team had all type of momentum then and after that certainly it wound up switching on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I presume the the main thing about that was it was the first play of the video game. That in fact worked in our benefit since if it was actually everything behind that, like in in the 4th quarter, it would certainly resemble, 'Oh my God!' It would be actually a challenging trait to bounce back from." However our company possessed 4 one-fourths to recuperate and put that behind our company. Therefore, for our team it was sort of like, 'Okay, our experts attempted. Shame on our team and afterwards we can easily keep it relocating now.' Due to the fact that eventually, we knew offensively our company were mosting likely to record much more than seven aspects, and I knew defensively we were visiting keep them from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their entire team is fired up and excited. Right now when they begin to us, their self defense is actually mosting likely to be coming a million kilometers an hour considering that the drive is actually currently on their side ... however the truth that there was actually still 59 1/2 mins left in the game, we understood it had not been over by any means. Our experts just knew that this is actually the man that is going to wreck the game for our team if our experts don't stop that. As well as clearly just watching that very first play was actually verification of that. Permit's not kick him another ball." Gilmore: "They acquired wise as well as chose to kick it to John Gilmore. I had 2 gains because game. That's what happens when Devin takes the opening first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner supported this file.