.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, initially covering the Minnesota Vikings prior to switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a constant panelist on Around the Horn and range of Utmost Week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She earlier operated at the San Jose Mercury Information as a mixeds media sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester returned to his indigenous South Fla for the most significant video game of his lifestyle in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was actually effectively on his technique to becoming the very best gain specialist in NFL history.The previous second-round choice, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had already gotten first-team All-Pro awareness and Pro Dish tributes by the time the Bears evolved to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a career- and league-high 47 punts with three resulting in touchdowns in 2006. He also came back 2 firsts for goals and scored after returning an overlooked basket 108 backyards versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts possessed a lot of film to research as they prepared for Chicago's the majority of unsafe weapon. They had observed Hester manage a punting back 83 lawns for the okay goal to top off a 20-point revival draw the Cardinals. They watched him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the same game to mark kickoff return goals of 94 as well as 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the piece throw inside a rainy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and selected to get, the Colts sent the opening kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 secs to run where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' end line, 92 lawns away, all while watching himself on the videoboard as he taped the only TD profit of a position first in Super Bowl history.The letdown from a possible 29-17 reduction to the Colts did little to vanish the play that draws attention to Hester's Hall of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect will certainly be actually preserved in Canton this weekend break as the very first player elected to the Pro Football Hall of Popularity first and foremost as a kick returner a gamer who triggered one of the best iconic instants in NFL history.Devin Hester truly began the Super Bowl with a property phone call One of the greatest zing returners ever switches 40 today.( by means of @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For 2 weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had created a tactical plan for Hester that focused on him certainly not touching the ball. While the Bears' special crews systems were actually the absolute most explosive in the league, the Colts positioned 30th in first coverage and 32nd in punt coverage. Below is actually exactly how that planning inevitably accepted some of the most exciting plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a hazardous offensive staff. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. However insurance coverage, profits, they had the very best unique staffs system in the NFL. Pub none. And also the most ideal returner, perhaps in NFL background." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "Our company were actually kicking to the sections, we are actually bouncing the sphere, our team are actually squibbing it, our company're punting higher, or our company are actually punting away from bounds. Our team stated, 'He is actually certainly not going to be a factor. We think our team may control their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Most of his profits for goals were punts, not necessarily kickoffs [Hester returned 3 puntings and also pair of kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew for sure the tactical plan was actually don't punt the ball to him. Attempt to punt it 40 gardens, 45 yards, out of bounds. Sacrifice some proximity but carry out not permit him receive the ball in his palms." We considered it the various other method and really did not wish to compromise a ton of yardage on kickoff stuff, therefore given that our experts have actually received a couple of our starters therein, let's attempt to affix him behind-the-scenes as well as see if our experts can easily overload that edge and attempt to reduce his gain. Our team engaged in that all full week long. It wasn't even like our experts were fretted to boot a touchback. Our company were actually even more worried regarding striking it over in the edge, and if he captures it at the 2- or even 3-yard pipe however it is actually really close to the subsidiary, then we could make an effort to box him in a little bit." Reid: "The game plan was our experts are actually certainly not heading to boot to him. He's as well hazardous." Days prior to the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "Some of our chaplains offered a chapel service prior to the video game and spoke about David as well as Giant as well as said, 'The reason David achieved success is he had not been terrified. All the various other Israelites were afraid of Goliath.' So I began thinking, am I putting worry right into our men' centers? Am I playing this incorrect? Our company can not fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as surprised as any individual that the Colts were stopping to him to open Super Bowl XLI. As the storm fell, Hester took the sit back as well as made past. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I modified my mind and stated if our experts drop the throw, we're mosting likely to begin. Our team're visiting boot it to him, as well as I wish you to go down as well as pound him. As well as when we knock their champ down, that's mosting likely to deliver a notification similar to David." I referred to it along with Russ Purnell, our exclusive teams trainer, and naturally he said we can deal with, we can possibly do this. Our team'll receive him in the Super Bowl. Everybody would like to possess their moment. No one intends to go out certainly there and just mention, 'Hey, our company weren't part of this, or even our company failed to assist.' So it was shared, however by the end of the time, it was my choice." Reid: "Pair of or even three days just before the video game I rallied the individuals to persuade Coach Dungy. I stated, 'Our company can easily manage him. We'll be fine.' You could tell [Dungy] regreted about doing it, however he feels like: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive crews coordinator: "Every game that our company had, it was actually regularly a question of who's visiting kick to him, who isn't visiting boot to him. We knew that they had discussed certainly not kicking to him, but our experts always presumed as a staff that they were actually going to boot to us in the Super Bowl even if it's the Super Dish." That's what I informed them Sunday night. I stated, 'They are actually mosting likely to boot the round right to us.'" An unanticipated storm relocated in to the Miami area on activity time and ditched virtually one in of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the night. A group of 74,512 enjoyed Hester and the Bears kickoff yield staff trot onto the industry to receive the opening kick after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a newbie, his peace of mind when he took the area was actually unreal. Our team took a considerable amount of satisfaction in obstructing for him. Exclusive teams had not been a job. It failed to feel like you were actually being actually punished for not being actually a starter. Any time you tromped the field along with him in the return activity, it resembled, 'Male, our company can easily get it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I don't forget observing all these flashes click on when the round is being began. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Running out to the game coming from the locker space felt unique. I have actually never ever really felt everything like it. It resembled the flicks. There were Classical candles being soared plus all the embers were actually boiling down in slow mo. It completely possessed me annoyed out. I got to the subsidiary as well as it resembled, 'Whoa, what only happened?' And afterwards our team succeed the coin shake as well as our company're receiving. Talk about an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment manager: "I pointed out if it enters the end area, acquire that ball for him. That's what remained in my mind considering that it was never done, had never been carried out just before." Vinatieri: "Honestly it certainly never entered my mind that he will jog a ball back for a touchdown. It truly failed to. I've had 2 of all of them in Super Containers. I kicked one to [Green Gulf Packers large receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] as well as he worked it back for a goal. So it happened to me before, however at no opportunity was I thinking, 'Oh my gosh, it's visiting occur again.' 2024 Pro Football Hall of FameThe Venue of Prominence Activity in between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be aired on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 plays that determine Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney places twist on tradition u2022 Mongo's battle, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been fearful when we did it. I thought, we'll put him in the edge, our company'll confront him inside the 25 and we'll feel decent regarding our own selves. Which's never what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that visited of my mouth [when he observed the round moved his technique] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester got Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and also raised industry to the twenty. The closest a Colts guardian would certainly get to addressing him was protection Marlin Jackson, who was inches away from Hester, who increased out of his understanding. The Bears' block featuring Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid created a void for Hester to blow past the 1st surge of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Dish logo and also started sprinting parallel to 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 beat everyone each time he carried out that. The middle of the industry was gold for Devin. They didn't intend to kick it down the mid to Devin, but they seemingly were dealing with it excessive, and also if you think you are actually beat. If they kick it down the middle of the industry, I knew he was actually heading to rating." I always kept speaking about him residing in his garden [on the show] I feel I stated, 'Coming from Riviera Coastline to the largest phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are outrageous.'" Harris: "I don't forget reaching an individual, it was actually most likely around the little bit of Super Dish company logo. I broke this guy as well as sort of saw [Devin] flashing through. And when I turned around as well as I viewed he was actually out and all the Colts white jerseys chasing him, I claimed, 'Okay, I have actually reached go satisfy him.' So I just took off on a dead sprint given that I recognized he was scoring." Vinatieri: "Once he surpassed our 1st wave of fellas, at that point our experts possess a protection on each edge and also me between. I knew I was too away from him. If I could possibly receive close good enough to him to at the very least slow him down, maybe the interest can come to him. Yet he outwited the piss out of me, too. That is actually the important things regarding Devin. When he has a little bit of room, with that vision, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 backyards for a touchdown with the position first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and also really did not touch him whatsoever, I resembled 'damn.' It is actually hilarious because after one play, my jersey is actually dirtier than anyone's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was a lot of available industry, so I knew best after that and also there certainly [after Vinatieri's effort] It wasn't a condition where I was affixed to a subsidiary as well as possessed the subsidiary antagonizing me. Our experts resided in the open industry, 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 and Devin looked up. I was actually wondering why he was finding eventually to learn that he was considering themself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him and also simply stumbled him up and also he tumbled into the end area for the touchdown." The Bears' drive would continue on the following travel as they opened up a 14-6 top, however the Colts took management in the 2nd part for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our team began the game along with a goal as well as our company thought it was heading to be an ass-whipping. Really failed to wind up in this way, although our team emerged as well as we received a choice right afterwards, very. Our company assumed we possessed all type of drive then and then certainly it wound up shifting on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I assume the something about that was it was actually the first play of the game. That really functioned in our perk considering that if it was actually just about anything later than that, like in in the 4th quarter, it would resemble, 'Oh my God!' It will be a difficult factor to recover coming from." But we possessed 4 fourths to recover and also put that responsible for our team. Therefore, for our company it was actually sort of like, 'All right, we tried. Embarassment on our team and then our company can easily keep it relocating right now.' Given that eventually, we knew offensively our team were heading to count much more than seven factors, as well as I knew defensively our team were visiting maintain them coming from counting." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire crew is ignited and thrilled. Right now when they begin to our company, their self defense is actually mosting likely to be actually coming a thousand miles an hour since the energy is currently on their edge ... yet the simple fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the video game, we knew it had not been over by any means. We just knew that this is actually the fella that will definitely wreck the ready us if our experts don't prevent that. As well as definitely simply seeing that 1st play was evidence of that. Allow's not boot him yet another ball." Gilmore: "They got smart and also decided to kick it to John Gilmore. I had 2 returns during that activity. That's what happens when Devin takes the opening first for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder supported this document.