.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, originally dealing with the Minnesota Vikings prior to switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a constant panelist on Around the Horn as well as hold of Best Full week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She earlier worked at the San Jose Mercury Information as an interactives media sports journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester went back to his native South Fla for the biggest activity of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was well on his means to coming to be the best profit specialist in NFL history.The previous second-round pick, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had currently earned first-team All-Pro recognition and Pro Dish tributes due to the time the Bears accelerated to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a profession- and also league-high 47 puntings along with three causing touchdowns in 2006. He also came back two firsts for touchdowns as well as racked up after coming back a missed out on field goal 108 lawns versus the New York Giants.The Colts had loads of movie to analyze as they prepared for Chicago's most dangerous tool. They had observed Hester manage a punting back 83 lawns for the permission goal to cap off a 20-point resurgence sway the Cardinals. They observed him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the very same activity to notch first gain goals of 94 and 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the coin toss inside a wet Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens and also selected to receive, the Colts delivered the opening kickoff right in to Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 few seconds to sprint where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' end line, 92 backyards away, all while watching themself on the videoboard as he taped the only TD gain of a position kickoff in Super Dish history.The disappointment coming from a possible 29-17 reduction to the Colts performed little to vanish the play that complements Hester's Hall of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will definitely be actually preserved in Canton this weekend as the 1st player chosen to the Pro Football Venue of Popularity primarily as a zing returner a gamer who triggered one of the most famous minutes in NFL history.Devin Hester actually started the Super Bowl along with a home telephone call One of the greatest kick returners ever switches 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For two full weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had created a tactical plan for Hester that focused on him not touching the round. While the Bears' special teams devices were actually the absolute most eruptive in the league, the Colts rated 30th in first coverage and 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Right here is actually how that program ultimately yielded to among the absolute most exciting plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a risky offensive staff. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. However coverage, come back, they possessed the most ideal exclusive groups device in the NFL. Bar none. And also the best returner, probably in NFL record." Tony Dungy, Colts head trainer: "We were actually kicking to the sections, our experts're jumping the round, our team're squibbing it, our team're punting high, or even we are actually punting out of bounds. Our team stated, 'He's not mosting likely to be actually an element. Our team assume our team can handle their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his returns for goals were actually puntings, not always kickoffs [Hester came back three puntings as well as 2 kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood for sure the game plan was don't punt the sphere to him. Attempt to punt it 40 lawns, forty five backyards, away from bounds. Lose some range yet do not permit him acquire the ball in his palms." Our experts considered it the other way as well as failed to wish to lose a ton of yardage on first stuff, therefore considering that our experts've got a number of our starters therein, allow's try to affix him behind-the-scenes and observe if our experts may overload that side and also try to minimize his return. Our team engaged in that all full week long. It wasn't also like our experts were fretted to boot a touchback. Our team were actually even more concerned about hitting it over in the edge, and if he records it at the 2- or even 3-yard line however it's really near to the sideline, at that point we can make an effort to container him in a small amount." Reid: "The strategic plan was our team are actually certainly not visiting boot 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 offered a chapel service before the game as well as referred to David and also Goliath as well as stated, 'The cause David was successful is he had not been scared. All the other Israelites hesitated of Goliath.' So I started presuming, am I placing fear into our guys' hearts? Am I playing this wrong? Our experts can not be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as pleasantly surprised as anybody that the Colts were stopping to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the rain fell, Hester took the sit back and also created background. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I modified my mind as well as stated if we shed the toss, our team are actually going to begin. We are actually heading to boot it to him, as well as I desire you to drop and also pound him. As well as when our experts take their champion down, that's heading to send out an information similar to David." I spoke about it with Russ Purnell, our special teams trainer, and also certainly he stated our experts can deal with, our experts may do this. Our experts'll receive him in the Super Dish. Everybody would like to have their moment. Nobody intends to walk out certainly there and also merely say, 'Hey, we weren't part of this, or even our company failed to contribute.' So it was mutual, yet at the end of the time, it was my selection." Reid: "Pair of or even three days prior to the activity I rallied the men to encourage Train Dungy. I stated, 'Our experts may manage him. Our team'll be alright.' You could possibly inform [Dungy] felt uneasy regarding doing it, however he feels like: 'OK, I trust you people.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive staffs organizer: "Every game that we possessed, it was constantly a concern of who's going to boot to him, who isn't going to kick to him. We knew that they had talked about certainly not booting to him, yet our company constantly supposed as a staff that they were actually visiting kick to us in the Super Bowl even if it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I told all of them Sunday evening. I stated, 'They're heading to kick the round right to our team.'" An unpredicted hurricane relocated right into the Miami region on activity day and also dumped nearly one inch of storm over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the night. A group of 74,512 seen Hester and also the Bears kickoff yield team trot onto the area to receive the position zing following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a rookie, his assurance when he took the industry was unreal. Our experts took a ton of pride in blocking for him. Exclusive teams had not been a task. It didn't think that you were being penalized for not being a starter. Any time you tromped the industry with him in the return video game, it felt like, 'Guy, our experts can easily get it to your home.'" Chris Harris, Bears security: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I keep in mind seeing all these flashes hit when the sphere is actually being started. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Ending to the game coming from the storage locker space experienced surreal. I've never really felt everything like it. It resembled the movies. There were actually Roman candlesticks being actually soared plus all the cinders were coming down in funeral pace. It completely possessed me pestered out. I reached the side project and also it felt like, 'Whoa, what simply happened?' And afterwards our team gain the piece toss as well as we are actually receiving. Speak about an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears tools supervisor: "I mentioned if it uses completion area, get that reception for him. That's what resided in my thoughts due to the fact that it was never ever performed, had certainly never been actually done just before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it never entered my thoughts that he would jog a sphere back for a goal. It really failed to. I have actually possessed 2 of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Eco-friendly Bay Packers large receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] as well as he operated it back for a touchdown. So it took place to me before, but at no opportunity was I assuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually going to take place once again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Hall of FameThe Venue of Fame Video Game in between the Bears as well as Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be aired on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 plays that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney puts twist on tradition u2022 Mongo's match, quest to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't fearful when our team performed it. I thought, we'll place him in the edge, our experts'll confront him inside the 25 and also our experts'll experience decent regarding our own selves. And that is actually never what took place." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that showed up of my mouth [when he saw the round headed his means] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and raised area to the 20. The closest a Colts protector would come to tackling him was security Marlin Jackson, who was ins out of Hester, that accelerated far from his comprehension. The Bears' wedge including Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid generated a space for Hester to blow past the first surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish company logo as well as began dashing alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the field, I just knew it. That's what he performed. He eluded everybody each time he did that. The middle of the field was golden for Devin. They didn't desire to boot it down the mid to Devin, yet they seemingly were considering it a lot of, as well as if you think you are actually trumped. If they kick it down the center of the field, I understood he was actually heading to rating." I kept referring to him residing in his lawn [on the show] I believe I stated, 'Coming from Riviera Beach front to the most significant phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are ridiculous.'" Harris: "I bear in mind attacking a fella, it was probably around the little bit of Super Bowl company logo. I cracked this individual and also type of saw [Devin] showing off by. And when I shifted as well as I saw he was actually out plus all the Colts white colored jerseys chasing him, I mentioned, 'Okay, I have actually reached go satisfy him.' So I just took off on a dead sprint because I knew he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "When he surpassed our first surge of men, then we have a security on each edge and also me in the middle. I understood I was actually as well distant coming from him. If I can receive close sufficient to him to at the very least slow him down, possibly the interest might reach him. Yet he outwited the piss out of me, also. That's the important things about Devin. When he possesses a little of room, keeping that dream, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 lawns for a touchdown with the opening first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped as well as didn't touch him at all, I was like 'damn.' It's hilarious since after one play, my jersey is actually dirtier than any person's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was excessive open field, so I recognized right after that and also there certainly [after Vinatieri's attempt] It had not been a circumstance where I was pinned to a subsidiary and possessed the sideline working against me. Our company were in the available area, so I knew he wasn't going to acquire me." Joniak: "I keep in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and Devin searched for. I was questioning why he was searching for eventually to learn that he was actually looking at himself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and also simply tripped him up and he tumbled into completion region for the goal." The Bears' energy would certainly advance the following drive as they opened a 14-6 top, but the Colts took command in the 2nd part for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts began the video game along with a touchdown as well as our team presumed it was heading to be an ass-whipping. Definitely didn't wind up that way, despite the fact that our team appeared and our experts obtained a choice right afterwards, very. Our team assumed our experts possessed all kinds of energy then and then definitely it ended up moving on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I presume the one point regarding that was it was the first play of the activity. That in fact operated in our perk given that if it was actually anything beyond that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it will be like, 'Oh my The lord!' It would certainly be a challenging thing to recoup from." However our company possessed 4 fourths to bounce back and also place that responsible for our team. So, for our team it was actually type of like, 'All right, our company made an effort. Pity on our team and after that our experts may keep it relocating now.' Given that ultimately, we knew offensively our team were actually mosting likely to rack up greater than seven aspects, and I understood defensively our company were actually visiting maintain all of them coming from recording." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire team is actually fired up as well as excited. Now when they kick off to us, their self defense is mosting likely to be happening a million miles a hr since the momentum is actually already on their edge ... yet the reality that there was still 59 1/2 moments left behind in the video game, we understood it had not been over by any means. Our experts felt in one's bones that this is the fella that will certainly wreck the game for our team if our company do not prevent that. And also certainly merely watching that initial play was actually proof of that. Permit's not kick him one more sphere." Gilmore: "They acquired smart and made a decision to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed two profits in that video game. That's what happens when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder helped in this document.