.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, initially dealing with the Minnesota Vikings prior to shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a constant panelist on Around the Horn and host of Utmost Week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She previously worked at the San Jose Mercury Updates as an interactives media sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester came back to his indigenous South Fla for the most significant video game of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was actually properly on his means to becoming the most effective return expert in NFL history.The past second-round choice, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had presently gained first-team All-Pro acknowledgment as well as Pro Bowl tributes by the opportunity the Bears progressed to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a career- as well as league-high 47 punts with three resulting in goals in 2006. He also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns as well as racked up after returning a missed field goal 108 backyards versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts had lots of film to analyze as they prepared for Chicago's the majority of dangerous item. They had actually viewed Hester operate a punting back 83 gardens for the go-ahead touchdown to cap off a 20-point return win over the Cardinals. They experienced him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the exact same activity to scratch first gain touchdowns of 94 as well as 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the coin shake inside a rainy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and also selected to obtain, the Colts sent out the position kickoff right in to Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 few seconds to run from where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' goal line, 92 yards away, all while viewing themself on the videoboard as he tape-recorded the only TD gain of a position first in Super Bowl history.The disappointment coming from a possible 29-17 loss to the Colts did little bit of to fade the play that emphasizes Hester's Hall of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact is going to be enshrined in Canton this weekend as the first player selected to the Pro Football Hall of Prominence first and foremost as a zing returner a gamer who stimulated one of one of the most renowned minutes in NFL history.Devin Hester truly started the Super Bowl with a property phone call Some of the best zing returners ever transforms 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For pair of full weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had created a strategy for Hester that focused on him certainly not touching the sphere. While the Bears' unique crews units were the best eruptive in the game, the Colts placed 30th in kickoff protection and also 32nd in punt protection. Listed below is actually exactly how that planning ultimately accepted some of the most fantastic plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective side: "They weren't a hazardous offensive staff. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. However coverage, profits, they had the greatest exclusive groups system in the NFL. Bar none. As well as the greatest returner, possibly in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "Our team were actually kicking to the sections, we're hopping the ball, our team're squibbing it, our experts're punting higher, or even our team are actually punting out of bounds. We claimed, 'He is actually not heading to be actually a variable. Our team presume our experts can regulate their offense.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his profits for goals were puntings, not necessarily kickoffs [Hester returned 3 punts and two firsts for TDs in 2006] We knew for certain the strategy was actually don't punt the round to him. Try to punt it 40 yards, forty five gardens, away from bounds. Sacrifice some range yet do not permit him get the sphere in his hands." Our experts thought about it the various other way as well as really did not desire to compromise a lots of yardage on kickoff things, so given that our company have actually received a number of our beginners therein, let's try to affix him behind-the-scenes as well as find if our experts can overload that edge and also try to reduce his yield. Our experts engaged in that all full week long. It wasn't also like we were actually stressed to boot a touchback. Our team were actually more interested concerning hitting it over in the corner, and also if he records it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe yet it's definitely near to the sideline, at that point we can try to container him in a bit." Reid: "The game plan was our team are actually not heading to boot to him. He is actually also dangerous." Times before the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "One of our chaplains provided a church service prior to the activity and also discussed David as well as Giant and claimed, 'The main reason David achieved success is he had not been hesitant. All the various other Israelites feared of Giant.' So I began thinking, am I placing concern into our guys' hearts? Am I playing this inappropriate? Our experts can not fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as startled as any person that the Colts were stopping to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the rainfall became, Hester took the settle back and created past history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I modified my mind and also claimed if our experts lose the throw, our company're mosting likely to start. We are actually heading to boot it to him, and also I wish you to drop and pound him. And also when we knock their champion down, that is actually visiting send a message just like David." I referred to it with Russ Purnell, our unique crews coach, and naturally he said we may deal with, our company can possibly do this. Our team'll get him in the Super Bowl. Everybody desires to have their minute. Nobody intends to go out there and just mention, 'Hey, our team weren't component of this, or our experts failed to contribute.' So it was mutual, yet at the end of the day, it was my decision." Reid: "2 or even 3 days just before the game I rallied the fellas to persuade Train Dungy. I mentioned, 'Our experts can easily manage him. Our experts'll be alright.' You could possibly tell [Dungy] worried concerning doing it, yet he resembles: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive staffs organizer: "Every activity that our company possessed, it was actually consistently a question of who's mosting likely to boot to him, who isn't visiting boot to him. We understood that they had actually talked about not kicking to him, yet our experts constantly thought as a workers that they were actually heading to kick to us in the Super Bowl even if it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I informed them Saturday evening. I stated, 'They are actually visiting boot the ball right to our team.'" An unpredicted hurricane relocated into the Miami area on video game time and also discarded virtually one in of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the night. A group of 74,512 seen Hester and also the Bears first yield staff trot onto the area to get the opening zing after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a rookie, his assurance when he took the field was unreal. Our team took a bunch of honor in blocking for him. Unique crews wasn't a task. It failed to seem like you were actually being actually reprimanded for certainly not being actually a starter. Whenever you stepped on the area with him in the gain game, it resembled, 'Man, our team can take it to our home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is pre-smartphones. I remember viewing all these flashes click on when the round is being actually started. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Running out to the activity coming from the storage locker area felt surreal. I've never really felt everything like it. It was like the films. There were Classical candle lights being actually soared and all the cinders were actually coming down in slow mo. It totally had me pestered out. I came to the sideline and also it was like, 'Whoa, what only occurred?' And after that our experts win the coin throw and also our team are actually obtaining. Speak about an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears tools manager: "I claimed if it goes in completion zone, get that ball for him. That's what resided in my thoughts given that it was never ever carried out, had never been done just before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it certainly never entered my mind that he would certainly dash a sphere back for a goal. It truly failed to. I have actually possessed two of them in Super Dishes. I kicked one to [Eco-friendly Gulf Packers broad receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he worked it back for a touchdown. So it took place to me prior to, yet at no time was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it's going to happen once again.' 2024 Pro Football Hall of FameThe Venue of Prominence Video Game between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be telecasted on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two participates in that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney puts spin on legacy u2022 Mongo's fight, experience to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I had not been fearful when our company performed it. I assumed, our experts'll place him in the edge, our team'll attack him inside the 25 and we'll feel good concerning ourselves. And also's absolutely not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that appeared of my oral cavity [when he found the sphere moved his means] were 'Divine s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and also ran up area to the twenty. The closest a Colts protector would certainly come to addressing him was security Marlin Jackson, who was actually inches far from Hester, that sped up off of his grasp. The Bears' block including Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid made a gap for Hester to blow past the very first wave of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish company logo and also started running alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made it halfway of the area, I just knew it. That's what he carried out. He beat everyone whenever he performed that. The center of the industry was golden for Devin. They didn't wish to kick it down the center to Devin, but they apparently were actually thinking about it way too much, and also if you think you're trumped. If they kick it down the middle of the area, I knew he was mosting likely to rating." I maintained talking about him being in his garden [on the broadcast] I feel I mentioned, 'From Riviera Seaside to the biggest phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are actually foolish.'" Harris: "I bear in mind striking a man, it was most likely around the little Super Bowl company logo. I nicked this individual and also sort of saw [Devin] showing off by. And also when I shifted and also I viewed he was out plus all the Colts white colored shirts chasing him, I said, 'All right, I have actually come to go meet him.' So I only took off on a dead sprint due to the fact that I recognized he was scoring." Vinatieri: "As soon as he surpassed our 1st surge of people, at that point our company have a protection on each side as well as me in the middle. I knew I was too away coming from him. If I could acquire close good enough to him to at the very least sluggish him down, possibly the pursuit could possibly get to him. Yet he juked the piss out of me, too. That is actually things about Devin. When he has a bit of area, keeping that sight, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 lawns for a goal along with the position kickoff in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged as well as really did not touch him whatsoever, I resembled 'damn.' It is actually funny due to the fact that after one play, my shirt is actually dirtier than any person's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually a lot of available industry, so I knew best at that point as well as there certainly [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a situation where I was actually affixed to a sideline and possessed the side project antagonizing me. Our company remained in the available area, so I knew he wasn't going to obtain me." Joniak: "I don't forget [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and Devin searched for. I was wondering why he was actually searching for eventually to discover that he was checking out themself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him and also simply stumbled him up and also he detected the end area for the touchdown." The Bears' energy will continue on the upcoming travel as they opened up a 14-6 top, however the Colts took control in the second quarter for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our team started the activity with a touchdown and we presumed it was mosting likely to be actually an ass-whipping. Definitely didn't find yourself this way, despite the fact that our company came out as well as we received a selection right afterwards, too. We presumed our company possessed all kinds of momentum at that point and then certainly it ended up switching on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I think the one point about that was it was actually the 1st play of the activity. That really done work in our perk considering that if it was everything beyond that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it will feel like, 'Oh my God!' It would certainly be a tough trait to bounce back from." Yet our experts had four quarters to bounce back as well as place that responsible for our company. Therefore, for our team it was actually sort of like, 'Okay, our company tried. Pity on our company and afterwards our team can keep it relocating now.' Because in the end, we knew offensively our experts were going to score greater than 7 aspects, and I knew defensively we were visiting maintain them from recording." Vinatieri: "Their entire staff is actually ignited as well as excited. Right now when they start to our team, their protection is going to be coming a thousand kilometers an hour given that the momentum is currently on their side ... yet the simple fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 minutes left in the activity, we knew it had not been over whatsoever. Our company felt in one's bones that this is the man that will wreck the game for our company if we don't protect against that. And undoubtedly just viewing that 1st play was actually verification of that. Permit's certainly not boot him yet another round." Gilmore: "They got intelligent as well as made a decision to kick it to John Gilmore. I possessed pair of profits because game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Owner resulted in this file.