.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings prior to switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and also range of Best Week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She earlier operated at the San Jose Mercury News as a multimedia sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester returned to his native South Fla for the most significant game of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was actually well on his means to becoming the most effective gain specialist in NFL history.The former second-round selection, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually presently made first-team All-Pro recognition and also Pro Bowl honors due to the opportunity the Bears evolved to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a job- and league-high 47 punts with 3 causing goals in 2006. He additionally came back 2 firsts for goals as well as racked up after returning a skipped basket 108 gardens versus the New york city Giants.The Colts possessed lots of movie to study as they got ready for Chicago's a lot of unsafe item. They had observed Hester run a punt back 83 backyards for the okay touchdown to top off a 20-point revival sway the Cardinals. They experienced him rip past the St. Louis Rams twice in the very same video game to notch kickoff yield touchdowns of 94 and 96 yards, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the coin throw inside a wet Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens and elected to obtain, the Colts sent out the opening first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 secs to sprint from where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' end line, 92 gardens away, all while watching himself on the videoboard as he recorded the only TD profit of an opening kickoff in Super Dish history.The frustration coming from an eventual 29-17 reduction to the Colts did little to fade the play that complements Hester's Hall of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will certainly be preserved in Canton this weekend break as the initial gamer selected to the Pro Regulation Football Hall of Fame initially as a kick returner a gamer that triggered some of the most well-known moments in NFL history.Devin Hester actually began the Super Bowl with a residence phone call Some of the greatest kick returners ever switches 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For two full weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually put together a strategic plan for Hester that revolved around him not touching the sphere. While the Bears' exclusive teams units were actually one of the most explosive in the league, the Colts ranked 30th in kickoff coverage and also 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Below is actually just how that planning inevitably yielded to among the most interesting plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't a dangerous aggressive staff. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. But insurance coverage, return, they possessed the greatest exclusive groups device in the NFL. Bar none. And the best returner, possibly in NFL background." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "We were kicking to the edges, our experts're jumping the sphere, our experts are actually squibbing it, our company are actually punting higher, or even our experts're punting out of bounds. Our company claimed, 'He is actually not visiting be a variable. Our experts assume our company can handle their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his profits for goals were puntings, certainly not essentially kickoffs [Hester came back three punts and 2 firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood for certain the game plan was actually do not punt the round to him. Attempt to punt it 40 backyards, forty five gardens, out of bounds. Sacrifice some distance but do certainly not allow him get the ball in his hands." Our experts dealt with it the various other technique as well as really did not intend to compromise a ton of yardage on kickoff stuff, therefore considering that our team've got a couple of our starters in there, permit's try to pin him behind-the-scenes and also see if our experts can easily overload that side and make an effort to minimize his yield. Our company engaged in that all full week long. It had not been even like we were paniced to kick a touchback. Our company were more worried regarding striking it over in the edge, and also if he records it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe yet it is actually really close to the sideline, at that point our team might make an effort to carton him in a little." Reid: "The game plan was our company are actually not visiting kick to him. He's as well risky." Days just before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy modified his mind.Dungy: "Among our pastors offered a chapel service just before the video game and talked about David and Giant as well as stated, 'The factor David was successful is he wasn't terrified. All the other Israelites feared of Goliath.' So I began assuming, am I putting worry in to our people' souls? Am I playing this wrong? Our company can't hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as stunned as any person that the Colts were stopping to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the kick back and brought in past history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I altered my mind as well as pointed out if we lose the toss, our company are actually visiting start. Our experts're mosting likely to kick it to him, as well as I want you to go down and also pound him. And when we take their champ down, that is actually going to send out a message similar to David." I referred to it with Russ Purnell, our unique teams coach, and of course he mentioned we can easily deal with, our company can possibly do this. We'll get him in the Super Bowl. Everyone desires to have their second. No person would like to walk out certainly there and merely point out, 'Hey, our company weren't aspect of this, or even our company really did not assist.' So it was actually reciprocal, yet in the end of the day, it was my decision." Reid: "Pair of or even 3 times before the game I moved the men to entice Train Dungy. I said, 'Our experts may handle him. We'll be actually alright.' You could say to [Dungy] worried about performing it, but he feels like: 'OK, I trust you guys.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique crews planner: "Every video game that our company possessed, it was constantly an inquiry of that's heading to boot to him, who isn't going to boot to him. We knew that they had actually referred to not booting to him, however we constantly thought as a team that they were heading to kick to our team in the Super Dish just because it's the Super Bowl." That's what I informed all of them Sunday night. I mentioned, 'They're visiting kick the round right to our company.'" An unforeseen tornado relocated right into the Miami location on video game time and also poured nearly one inch of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 checked out Hester and the Bears first profit crew trot onto the field to obtain the opening kick after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a newbie, his self-confidence when he took the field was unreal. We took a bunch of honor in blocking out for him. Exclusive groups had not been a task. It failed to seem like you were actually being reprimanded for certainly not being actually a starter. Any time you tromped the area with him in the return video game, it was like, 'Male, our team can easily get it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is pre-smartphones. I keep in mind seeing all these flashes click on when the sphere is actually being actually started. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Ending to the game from the locker space felt surreal. I've never ever felt anything like it. It resembled the flicks. There were actually Roman candlesticks being actually skyrocketed and all the embers were boiling down in funeral pace. It completely possessed me bugged out. I came to the side project as well as it felt like, 'Whoa, what only taken place?' And after that our team gain the piece throw and also our team're acquiring. Talk about an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment manager: "I stated if it goes in the end region, obtain that reception for him. That's what resided in my mind given that it was actually certainly never done, had actually never been carried out before." Vinatieri: "Honestly it never entered my thoughts that he would jog a ball back for a touchdown. It really didn't. I've had 2 of all of them in Super Dishes. I booted one to [Green Gulf Packers broad receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] as well as he worked it back for a touchdown. So it occurred to me just before, however at no time was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it's mosting likely to occur once more.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Hall of FameThe Hall of Popularity Video Game between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will certainly be actually televised on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two plays that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney places twist on heritage u2022 Mongo's match, quest to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't fearful when our team performed it. I believed, our company'll put him in the corner, our experts'll attack him inside the 25 as well as we'll really feel pretty good about ourselves. And also's not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that visited of my mouth [when he found the round headed his way] were actually 'Holy s--.'" Hester got Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and raised field to the 20. The closest a Colts protector will reach handling him was actually security Marlin Jackson, that was actually inches out of Hester, that sped up away from his realization. The Bears' wedge being composed of Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid generated a void for Hester to blow past the very first surge of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Dish logo as well as began dashing alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the field, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he performed. He outran everyone every single time he performed that. The center of the area was gold for Devin. They didn't would like to kick it down the mid to Devin, but they apparently were actually thinking of it a lot of, and also if you believe you're beat. If they boot it down the middle of the industry, I knew he was actually going to credit rating." I always kept talking about him remaining in his yard [on the broadcast] I feel I mentioned, 'From Riviera Coastline to the biggest stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually ridiculous.'" Harris: "I don't forget reaching a person, it was perhaps around the little bit of Super Bowl logo design. I nicked this individual and sort of saw [Devin] showing off by. As well as when I shifted and I observed he was out and all the Colts white colored jackets chasing him, I pointed out, 'Okay, I've come to go satisfy him.' So I only took off on a lifeless sprint because I understood he was racking up." Vinatieri: "As soon as he got past our 1st wave of fellas, then our experts have a safety on each side and also me in between. I recognized I was also far away from him. If I can get close enough to him to at least slow-moving him down, perhaps the search could possibly come to him. Yet he outwited the piss out of me, also. That's the important things about Devin. When he possesses a bit of area, with that said sight, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 backyards for a touchdown with the opening first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and failed to touch him in any way, I felt like 'damn.' It's funny because after one play, my jacket is actually dirtier than anybody's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was a lot of open field, so I recognized correct at that point and certainly there [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a circumstance where I was actually pinned to a side project and also had the subsidiary working against me. We resided in the open area, so I knew he had not been going to get me." Joniak: "I don't forget [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and also Devin found. I was actually pondering why he was actually seeking out later to discover that he was actually looking at himself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and simply stumbled him up and also he detected the end area for the touchdown." The Bears' energy would advance the upcoming drive as they opened up a 14-6 top, however the Colts took control in the second area for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our team began the game along with a touchdown as well as our team assumed it was heading to be an ass-whipping. Really failed to find yourself in this way, despite the fact that our team visited as well as our team obtained a choice right after that, very. Our experts presumed our experts had all type of energy at that point and then definitely it wound up changing on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I presume the one thing concerning that was it was the first play of the game. That actually done work in our advantage given that if it was actually just about anything later than that, like in in the 4th quarter, it will resemble, 'Oh my The lord!' It would certainly be actually a challenging thing to recoup coming from." Yet we had 4 one-fourths to recover and also place that responsible for our company. Therefore, for us it was sort of like, 'All right, our experts attempted. Pity on us and after that we can easily keep it relocating currently.' Given that ultimately, we understood offensively we were actually heading to rack up more than 7 points, and also I recognized defensively our company were going to maintain them coming from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire team is fired up as well as delighted. Right now when they kick off to our team, their defense is going to be actually coming a million kilometers an hour given that the momentum is actually actually on their edge ... yet the truth that there was actually still 59 1/2 minutes left in the video game, we understood it had not been over by any means. Our company felt in one's bones that this is actually the person that will damage the game for our company if we do not stop that. As well as clearly just seeing that 1st play was actually evidence of that. Allow's certainly not boot him an additional sphere." Gilmore: "They got clever and also chose to boot it to John Gilmore. I had two returns during that video game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder helped in this report.