.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, actually covering the Minnesota Vikings just before switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a constant panelist on Around the Horn and also hold of Best Full week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She earlier worked at the San Jose Mercury News as a mixeds media sporting activities journalist.By the moment Devin Hester went back to his native South Florida for the largest activity of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was well on his means to becoming the most ideal return professional in NFL history.The previous second-round pick, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually currently earned first-team All-Pro awareness and Pro Bowl honors due to the time the Bears evolved to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a profession- and league-high 47 punts with three causing goals in 2006. He likewise returned two firsts for goals and also scored after returning an overlooked basket 108 lawns versus the New york city Giants.The Colts possessed lots of movie to analyze as they organized Chicago's the majority of hazardous tool. They had viewed Hester operate a punting back 83 gardens for the consent goal to cover off a 20-point revival get the Cardinals. They experienced him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the same activity to scratch kickoff gain touchdowns of 94 as well as 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece shake inside a wet Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens as well as selected to get, the Colts delivered the opening kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 seconds to dash from where he handled Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' goal line, 92 yards away, all while watching themself on the videoboard as he documented the only TD profit of a position first in Super Bowl history.The letdown from an eventual 29-17 reduction to the Colts performed little bit of to fade the play that highlights Hester's Venue of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect will definitely be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the very first player selected to the Pro Football Venue of Prominence first and foremost as a zing returner a gamer who stimulated among one of the most well-known seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester definitely started the Super Dish with a property phone call One of the greatest zing returners ever before transforms 40 today.( through @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For two full weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had actually come up with a game plan for Hester that revolved around him not touching the sphere. While the Bears' special staffs units were the most eruptive in the league, the Colts rated 30th in first protection and 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Listed here is actually exactly how that plan ultimately accepted some of the best thrilling plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a risky offensive crew. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. However insurance coverage, return, they had the greatest exclusive groups device in the NFL. Club none. And also the most ideal returner, possibly in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "Our experts were booting to the edges, our experts're hopping the round, our team're squibbing it, our experts're punting higher, or our experts are actually punting out of bounds. We stated, 'He's not mosting likely to be a factor. Our experts presume our team may regulate their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his returns for goals were actually puntings, certainly not essentially kickoffs [Hester came back 3 puntings and also two kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew for sure the game plan was actually don't punt the round to him. Try to punt it 40 lawns, 45 yards, out of bounds. Give up some span however do certainly not allow him acquire the round in his palms." We thought about it the other method and also failed to would like to compromise a lot of yardage on kickoff stuff, so given that our company have actually received a couple of our beginners therein, allow's attempt to pin him in a corner as well as view if our company may overload that edge as well as make an effort to decrease his yield. Our experts practiced that all full week long. It had not been even like our experts were actually paniced to kick a touchback. Our team were even more anxious regarding attacking it over in the section, as well as if he catches it at the 2- or 3-yard line however it's truly near the subsidiary, after that our experts can make an effort to package him in a little." Reid: "The strategic plan was our team are actually not mosting likely to kick to him. He is actually too dangerous." Times just before the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "Some of our chaplains provided a chapel service just before the game and talked about David and Goliath and claimed, 'The cause David prospered is he had not been worried. All the various other Israelites feared of Goliath.' So I began thinking, am I putting concern into our fellas' hearts? Am I playing this incorrect? Our company can't hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as startled as anybody that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the take it easy and created past. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I modified my thoughts and claimed if our team lose the throw, our team are actually heading to begin. Our company're going to boot it to him, and I desire you to go down and also pound him. And when our team take their champ down, that is actually mosting likely to send a notification similar to David." I talked about it along with Russ Purnell, our special crews train, and also of course he claimed our experts can deal with, we may do this. Our company'll get him in the Super Bowl. Everyone wishes to possess their moment. No one wants to walk out certainly there as well as only say, 'Hey, our team weren't part of this, or even our experts failed to assist.' So it was mutual, however in the end of the time, it was my decision." Reid: "Pair of or even three times prior to the activity I moved the guys to persuade Train Dungy. I mentioned, 'Our experts may handle him. Our company'll be alright.' You can inform [Dungy] felt uneasy regarding performing it, however he's like: 'OK, I trust you individuals.'" Dave Toub, Bears special staffs coordinator: "Every video game that our team had, it was actually consistently a concern of that's mosting likely to kick to him, who isn't going to kick to him. We understood that they had actually spoken about not booting to him, yet we consistently presumed as a staff that they were actually going to kick to our team in the Super Bowl even if it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I told them Sunday evening. I claimed, 'They're mosting likely to boot the round right to our team.'" An unforeseen hurricane moved into the Miami region on video game time as well as ditched virtually one in of rain over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 watched Hester as well as the Bears kickoff return crew trot onto the field to get the opening kick following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a novice, his assurance when he took the industry was unreal. Our company took a bunch of pleasure in blocking out for him. Unique crews wasn't a job. It really did not seem like you were being actually reprimanded for certainly not being actually a starter. At any time you stepped on the area with him in the gain activity, it resembled, 'Guy, our experts may take it to your home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I don't forget observing all these flashes click on when the ball is being kicked off. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Ending to the game coming from the locker room felt unique. I've never really felt just about anything like it. It felt like the films. There were actually Roman candle lights being shot up plus all the ashes were actually boiling down in slow motion. It absolutely possessed me badgered out. I reached the sideline as well as it was like, 'Whoa, what only happened?' And after that our company gain the piece toss and our company're obtaining. Discuss an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I pointed out if it goes in completion zone, obtain that reception for him. That's what resided in my mind since it was actually certainly never performed, had never been performed prior to." Vinatieri: "Frankly it certainly never entered my mind that he would certainly run a ball back for a touchdown. It really didn't. I have actually had two of all of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Eco-friendly Bay Packers large receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] as well as he functioned it back for a goal. So it occurred to me just before, however at no opportunity was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it's going to take place once more.' 2024 Pro Soccer Venue of FameThe Venue of Popularity Activity between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be actually televised on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of participates in that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney puts twist on tradition u2022 Mongo's fight, quest to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't horrendous when our team performed it. I thought, our team'll place him in the corner, we'll attack him inside the 25 and also we'll really feel respectable about our own selves. And also is actually not what took place." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that visited of my mouth [when he found the sphere moved his technique] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and also ran up field to the twenty. The closest a Colts guardian would reach addressing him was safety Marlin Jackson, who was ins off of Hester, that increased away from his understanding. The Bears' wedge featuring Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid generated a space for Hester to blow past the very first wave of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Dish logo and started dashing parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it halfway of the field, I just knew it. That's what he did. He outran everyone each time he did that. The middle of the field was golden for Devin. They failed to would like to boot it down the center to Devin, however they relatively were thinking about it way too much, as well as if you believe you're defeated. If they boot it down the center of the industry, I recognized he was going to rating." I always kept speaking about him residing in his yard [on the program] I feel I mentioned, 'Coming from Riviera Seashore to the most significant phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are actually absurd.'" Harris: "I remember attacking a person, it was possibly around the little bit of Super Dish logo. I nicked this fella and sort of saw [Devin] showing off by. And also when I turned around and I found he was actually out plus all the Colts white shirts chasing him, I mentioned, 'Okay, I have actually reached go satisfy him.' So I just took off on a dead sprint due to the fact that I knew he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "When he surpassed our first wave of men, at that point our team have a safety and security on each edge and also me in the center. I recognized I was as well far away coming from him. If I might obtain close enough to him to at the very least slow him down, possibly the quest can get to him. But he juked the piss away from me, as well. That's the thing concerning Devin. When he possesses a small amount of area, with that said sight, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 gardens for a goal with the position first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and didn't touch him in any way, I felt like 'damn.' It is actually amusing due to the fact that after one play, my jacket is dirtier than any person's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was a lot of open industry, so I knew appropriate then as well as certainly there [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a circumstance where I was actually affixed to a side project and also possessed the side project antagonizing me. Our experts were in the open area, so I recognized he had not been going to get me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down as well as Devin found. I was asking yourself why he was actually looking up later to learn that he was actually examining themself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him as well as just tripped him up and he detected completion area for the goal." The Bears' drive would advance the following drive as they opened up a 14-6 lead, however the Colts took control in the second part for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company began the activity along with a touchdown as well as our team thought it was going to be an ass-whipping. Definitely really did not find yourself this way, despite the fact that our experts visited and we received a choice right after that, too. Our experts thought our team had all sort of drive at that point and afterwards obviously it found yourself moving on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I presume the one point concerning that was it was the initial play of the video game. That actually worked in our perk because if it was just about anything later than that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it will resemble, 'Oh my God!' It would be a challenging trait to bounce back coming from." But our team possessed four fourths to recuperate and place that responsible for us. Therefore, for our team it was actually type of like, 'All right, our experts made an effort. Pity on us and afterwards our team may keep it moving right now.' Given that in the end, we knew offensively our experts were actually heading to count more than 7 aspects, and I understood defensively our experts were going to maintain them coming from counting." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire team is actually ignited as well as excited. Currently when they kick off to our team, their self defense is heading to be actually happening a million miles an hour given that the momentum is actually already on their edge ... yet the reality that there was actually still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the activity, we understood it had not been over whatsoever. Our company felt in one's bones that this is actually the man that will definitely ravage the game for our team if we don't stop that. And also certainly simply enjoying that first play was evidence of that. Allow's certainly not boot him yet another sphere." Gilmore: "They got brilliant and also determined to boot it to John Gilmore. I had pair of gains during that video game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position first for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder added to this record.