.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Personnel WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings just before changing to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and hold of Utmost Full week Ever on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She recently worked at the San Jose Mercury Information as an interactives media sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester went back to his indigenous South Fla for the largest activity of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was actually properly on his method to coming to be the greatest profit professional in NFL history.The previous second-round pick, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually actually gained first-team All-Pro acknowledgment and also Pro Dish honors due to the time the Bears accelerated to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a career- and league-high 47 puntings with three leading to goals in 2006. He also came back 2 firsts for touchdowns as well as scored after coming back an overlooked field goal 108 gardens versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts possessed a lot of film to analyze as they organized Chicago's a lot of risky tool. They had actually observed Hester operate a punting back 83 lawns for the green light touchdown to cover off a 20-point resurgence win over the Cardinals. They watched him rip past the St. Louis Rams two times in the same activity to notch first gain goals of 94 and also 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the piece toss inside a rainy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens as well as chosen to acquire, the Colts delivered the position first right into Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 few seconds to run where he dealt with Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal line, 92 gardens away, all while watching themself on the videoboard as he recorded the only TD profit of a position kickoff in Super Bowl history.The setback coming from an eventual 29-17 loss to the Colts carried out little bit of to vanish the play that highlights Hester's Hall of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect is going to be actually preserved in Canton this weekend as the first player chosen to the Pro Regulation Football Hall of Fame primarily as a zing returner a gamer who stimulated one of one of the most iconic instants in NFL history.Devin Hester truly began the Super Dish along with a residence telephone call One of the best kick returners ever before transforms 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 actually crafted a strategy for Hester that revolved around him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' unique crews devices were the absolute most eruptive in the game, the Colts ranked 30th in kickoff coverage and also 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Below is exactly how that program essentially yielded to some of the best exciting plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't an unsafe offensive team. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet insurance coverage, come back, they had the most ideal exclusive crews device in the NFL. Club none. And also the most ideal returner, most likely in NFL history." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "Our company were actually booting to the edges, we are actually bouncing the ball, our team're squibbing it, our team're punting high, or our company are actually punting away from bounds. Our team claimed, 'He is actually certainly not heading to be actually a variable. Our experts assume our company may regulate their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Most of his returns for goals were puntings, certainly not essentially kickoffs [Hester came back three punts and two kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood for certain the game plan was don't punt the round to him. Try to punt it 40 gardens, 45 backyards, out of bounds. Compromise some span however carry out certainly not let him acquire the round in his hands." Our experts dealt with it the various other method and also really did not want to compromise a lot of yardage on kickoff stuff, so because our team have actually got a couple of our starters in there, let's try to affix him behind-the-scenes and see if our experts can easily overload that edge and also make an effort to lessen his gain. Our company engaged in that all week long. It had not been even like our team were actually fretted to kick a touchback. Our team were actually even more worried concerning reaching it over in the edge, as well as if he captures it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe but it is actually definitely near the side project, after that our company could try to carton him in a bit." Reid: "The strategy was we're not mosting likely to boot to him. He is actually as well hazardous." Days prior to the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "Among our pastors provided a chapel solution just before the game and discussed David and also Goliath and claimed, 'The explanation David succeeded is he had not been scared. All the other Israelites were afraid of Goliath.' So I began thinking, am I putting concern right into our guys' centers? Am I playing this wrong? Our experts can't be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as pleasantly surprised as anyone that the Colts were stopping to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the rainfall fell, Hester took the sit back and also brought in background. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I modified my thoughts and also said if our experts drop the throw, our team're visiting start. Our team are actually mosting likely to kick it to him, and also I prefer you to go down and also pound him. And also when our company knock their champion down, that is actually visiting send out a notification similar to David." I discussed it along with Russ Purnell, our special staffs trainer, and obviously he stated our experts may cover, we can possibly do this. Our team'll get him in the Super Dish. Everyone desires to possess their moment. No person wishes to go out certainly there and also just mention, 'Hey, we weren't component of this, or our experts didn't assist.' So it was shared, however by the end of the time, it was my selection." Reid: "Pair of or three times before the video game I moved the fellas to convince Train Dungy. I said, 'Our team can easily manage him. We'll be actually alright.' You might tell [Dungy] worried about doing it, yet he feels like: 'OK, I trust you guys.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive crews coordinator: "Every activity that our company had, it was actually always an inquiry of who's mosting likely to kick to him, that isn't going to kick to him. We understood that they had talked about not booting to him, but we constantly presumed as a staff that they were actually going to boot to our team in the Super Bowl just because it's the Super Bowl." That's what I informed them Sunday evening. I said, 'They're visiting boot the sphere right to our company.'" An unforeseen storm moved into the Miami region on activity time and also unloaded nearly one inch of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 viewed Hester and the Bears first return crew trot onto the industry to acquire the position zing following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a novice, his assurance when he took the industry was actually unreal. Our team took a bunch of honor in shutting out for him. Special staffs wasn't a job. It really did not seem like you were actually being actually reprimanded for not being a starter. Whenever you tromped the field with him in the gain activity, it resembled, 'Man, our experts can get it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I always remember observing all these flashes hit when the sphere is actually being started. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Running out to the video game coming from the locker space really felt unique. I've certainly never felt everything like it. It felt like the films. There were actually Roman candles being actually soared and all the coal were boiling down in slow mo. It totally possessed me pestered out. I reached the side project and also it resembled, 'Whoa, what simply taken place?' And afterwards our team succeed the piece shake and our company're acquiring. Talk about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears tools manager: "I mentioned if it goes in completion area, get that reception for him. That's what remained in my thoughts because it was actually certainly never performed, had never been actually carried out prior to." Vinatieri: "Honestly it never entered my thoughts that he would rush a round back for a goal. It truly didn't. I've had two of all of them in Super Dishes. I booted one to [Environment-friendly Bay Packers vast receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he ran it back for a touchdown. So it occurred to me prior to, but at no time was I thinking, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually heading to happen once more.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Hall of FameThe Venue of Prominence Game between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will certainly be aired on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of plays that determine Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney puts twist on heritage u2022 Mongo's match, quest to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been fearful when we did it. I believed, our company'll place him in the edge, our team'll confront him inside the 25 as well as our experts'll really feel pretty good regarding our own selves. And also's absolutely not what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that appeared of my mouth [when he saw the ball headed his method] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and also added field to the twenty. The closest a Colts defender would certainly get to addressing him was actually safety and security Marlin Jackson, that was actually ins away from Hester, who accelerated far from his grasp. The Bears' wedge being composed of Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid created a gap for Hester to blast past the very first surge of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Dish logo and started sprinting alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the industry, I just knew it. That's what he did. He beat everyone each time he did that. The middle of the field was gold for Devin. They failed to desire to boot it down the mid to Devin, however they relatively were considering it excessive, and if you think you're beat. If they boot it down the center of the field, I understood he was actually going to rating." I maintained discussing him residing in his backyard [on the broadcast] I feel I said, 'Coming from Riviera Beach front to the largest phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually ludicrous.'" Harris: "I keep in mind attacking a man, it was actually perhaps around the little Super Dish logo design. I damaged this man as well as type of saw [Devin] showing off through. And when I shifted and I saw he was actually out plus all the Colts white jerseys chasing him, I mentioned, 'All right, I've reached go meet him.' So I only took off on a dead sprint since I knew he was scoring." Vinatieri: "Once he surpassed our initial wave of people, after that our experts possess a safety and security on each side and me in the center. I recognized I was too distant from him. If I could acquire close good enough to him to at least slow-moving him down, possibly the interest might get to him. But he juked the piss away from me, too. That is actually the thing concerning Devin. When he possesses a bit of room, with that said dream, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 backyards for a goal with the opening first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged and also really did not touch him at all, I resembled 'damn.' It is actually amusing because after one play, my jersey is actually dirtier than any person's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually excessive open field, so I understood right then and also certainly there [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a condition where I was actually affixed to a subsidiary as well as possessed the side project working against me. Our team resided in the open field, so I recognized he had not been going to acquire me." Joniak: "I keep in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down as well as Devin searched for. I was actually wondering why he was actually looking up later on to know that he was taking a look at himself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him as well as merely tripped him up and also he tumbled into the end zone for the goal." The Bears' momentum would certainly continue the upcoming drive as they opened a 14-6 lead, but the Colts took management in the 2nd area for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts began the video game with a goal as well as we presumed it was going to be an ass-whipping. Actually didn't wind up that way, despite the fact that our company came out and our experts got a pick right afterwards, too. Our experts thought our experts possessed all type of momentum at that point and afterwards obviously it found yourself shifting on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I think the the main thing regarding that was it was the initial play of the game. That really done work in our advantage because if it was actually anything later than that, like in in the 4th quarter, it would feel like, 'Oh my God!' It will be a hard point to recoup from." But our company possessed four quarters to recover and place that responsible for our team. Therefore, for our company it was actually type of like, 'All right, we tried. Pity on our team and then our team may maintain it moving now.' Given that ultimately, we understood offensively we were heading to rack up more than seven aspects, as well as I knew defensively we were heading to maintain all of them from counting." Vinatieri: "Their whole group is actually fired up as well as excited. Right now when they kick off to our team, their defense is actually going to be actually coming a thousand miles an hour since the energy is currently on their side ... however the truth that there was actually still 59 1/2 mins left behind in the activity, we knew it wasn't over by any means. Our team just knew that this is actually the man that will definitely trash the game for our team if our team don't prevent that. As well as undoubtedly just enjoying that initial play was verification of that. Permit's not kick him yet another sphere." Gilmore: "They received smart as well as decided to kick it to John Gilmore. I possessed 2 yields during that game. That's what takes place when Devin takes the position kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner contributed to this report.